


Darla's Adventures of Winn-Dixie

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Because of Winn-Dixie - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 12:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17467982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: Darla, Amber, and Annabelle feel bored at home, so when Darla gets a letter from her new pen pal, they decide to go visit Florida for the summer, and meet the girl known as India Opal Buloni, and they help her make some new friends in her new home, but especially with a dog in need of a home who Opal names as Winn-Dixie.





	1. Chapter 1

It seemed to be a normal lazy day around home with Amber, Annabelle, and Darla wondering what to do, especially since they were on vacation from school. They bounced ideas off of each other, but they couldn't seem to agree on anything, and soon enough, the local mailman walked by the Fudo house and put some letters in the mailbox before leaving as he continued his path down the street. Atticus soon got the mail out of the mailbox and decided see what they got.

"I don't know what I wanna do!" Darla complained with her friends.

"We have to do something." Amber said.

"Hey, kiddo," Atticus smiled to his little sister. "You got mail."

"From who?" Darla asked.

"India Buloni?" Atticus replied.

"Oh!" Darla smiled as she accepted the letter. "Thanks, Atticus."

"Oh, is that the girl you've been exchanging letters with for school?" Atticus then asked.

"Yeah," Darla smiled. "She lives in Florida."

"That's nice." Atticus smiled back.

"I always wanted to come visit her... She sounds so lonely..." Darla frowned. "She told me about the other kids she knows, but they don't seem to be friends."

"Like who?" Atticus wondered.

"Amanda Wilkinson, whose face is always pinched up like she's smelling something real bad," Darla replied from memory. "Sweetie Pie Thomas, who's only five-years-old, and always sucks on her knuckle like a baby. Dunlap and Stevie Dewberry, they're bald now because their cat had fleas and their mother had to shave them, but not even they want to be her friends."

"Whoa." Amber said.

"I wish I could help her..." Darla frowned about her pen pal.

"Well, what does she say in the letter?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, right," Darla said before reading it aloud. "'Dear Darla, you've been the closest thing I've had as a friend since I moved into Florida with the preacher. Your letters make me feel like I'm not so alone, so that is why I would love it if you would come over for a week or two to Naomi so that we can have some fun. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I would really appreciate it if you did, so please let me know you get this letter or at least come and visit. Sincerely yours, India Opal Buloni'."

"Looks like we just found out what we'll be doing." Amber said.

Atticus smiled to the girls.

"We better start packing." Annabelle suggested.

"And just how do you plan on getting to Florida?" Atticus smirked playfully to the girls.

"Oh, good question." Amber said.

Atticus chuckled.

Cherry soon walked by as she seemed bored herself about being stuck at home on vacation from school with a groan. "So bored..."

"Hey, Cherry." The others greeted.

"Hey," Cherry replied softly. "Is it me or is nothing going on in town lately?"

"It's not just you." Atticus said.

"Yeah... I guess..." Cherry replied.

"Cherry, you should come to Florida with us so you can meet my pen pal, Opal." Darla smiled.

"Yeah." Amber and Annabelle added.

Cherry looked over before shrugging. "Meh... Gives me something to do."

"It'll be an adventure." Darla smiled.

"Eh, I dunno about that." Cherry replied.

"It might become one." Amber said.

Cherry shrugged. "I suppose it beats hanging around here."

"That's the spirit!" Annabelle smiled before pondering. "Hmm... I wonder if I should bring my wand or not?"

"Who knows?" Darla shrugged.

They soon went to get packing and while they packed, Darla decided to write a letter back to Opal that she and the others would come over as soon as possible.

"Does this Opal girl have a dog?" Patch asked.

"No, she doesn't." Darla replied.

"She sounds like the kind of girl who could use a dog." Patch commented.

"Do you wanna come with?" Darla asked.

"Hmm... Maybe I should," Patch smiled. "I haven't met Opal, but I can tell that she's the kind of girl who could use some company."

"Yeah... No one really seems to want to be her friend," Darla replied. "I'm not sure why though."

"Well, she now has a friend." Patch smiled.

"Oh, thanks, Patch." Darla smiled back as she hugged her brother's dog.

"No problem." Patch smiled back.

Darla smiled as she then sent out her letter as they were still packing, knowing that her newest friend would be happy to read it.

"You kids will behave, right?" Emily asked.

"Mom, we've done this before," Atticus replied. "We're all going to be fine."

"Yeah." Darla said.

"Well... Okay..." Emily said. "Is it okay with Opal's mother and father too?"

"It should be..." Darla replied softly, though she felt bad about the mention of Opal's mother.

"Alright, then we better get going." Atticus said.

"Well, have fun now," Emily smiled. "Remember your manners, Darla."

"I will." Darla smiled back.

"And we'll be there with her all the way." Atticus added.

"Have fun now," Emily smiled. "I'm sure I can find something to do... I sometimes miss the good old days with Queen Novo."

"I can't believe you two are old friends." Atticus replied.

"Same here." Darla added.

"Yes, yes," Emily smiled. "Your father and I shared special times in Equestria, even if Jessie used to hate it."

"But then she started to like it." Patch said.

"Yes, but boy, did that take a while." Emily replied.

Everyone waved and soon got into Atticus's car as they took a road trip to Florida. Of course, they would be in for an adventure.

"I better not get carsick." Cherry muttered.

"Can't you take medicine for that?" Darla asked.

"I don't think there's any medicine for carsickness." Cherry said.

"But with help from my powers, and you'll soon have medicine for it." Atticus said.

Cherry glanced at him before rolling her eyes.

"Atticus, do you think we'll go to Hope Island someday?" Darla asked, referring to herself, Amber, and Annabelle.

"I'll have Mo ask Gaia, but that should be fine." Atticus smiled to his little sister.

"Yay!" Darla cheered.

"I'm sure she won't mind," Atticus smiled. "She seems to love anyone who has a good heart, especially since you do since you have the Silver Crystal."

"Yes... That's right..." Darla smiled back as she touched her brooch, just patting it, but not transforming into Sailor Moon. "I just love seeing Serena and the other Sailor Scouts."

"And we're sure they love seeing you too." Cherry said.

"Is it true that Ma-Ti hooked up with Ariel's old friend?" Darla asked.

"Oh, you mean Gabriella? Yeah, it was pretty cute." Atticus smiled.

"Aw!" Darla smiled back.

They soon kept driving, and the ride seemed to take a while.

Atticus soon drove by, following the directions to the Buloni home which seemed to be in a trailer park.

"This is where they live?" Cherry asked,.

"That's what it says according to Darla's letters." Atticus replied.

Darla, Amber, and Annabelle soon woke up from their power nap.

"Whoa... We're in Florida already?" Darla asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, and we're in a trailer park." Cherry said.

"Well... Opal said she lived here with her father..." Darla replied.

They soon got out of the car and out came an adult man who seemed to be dressed for church, but he didn't seem to have a girl with him.

"That's Mr. Buloni," Darla said. "I recognize him from one of Opal's letters."

"Then where's her mother?" Amber asked.

"Opal doesn't have a mother..." Darla said softly.

Annabelle gave a small frown as she could relate to that.

"Oh, my..." Patch frowned.

Opal's father soon looked around before sighing as his daughter appeared to not be there, but he had to get going anyway because it was Sunday and he had a job to do.

"Hello, sir." Darla spoke up.

"Huh? Oh, um, hello there." Mr. Buloni replied as he stopped by, being polite.

"You must be Opal's father." Darla smiled.

"That would be me, but... I'm not sure where my daughter's run off to... Um... Have we met?" Mr. Buloni asked.

"My name is Darla Fudo." Darla introduced herself.

"Darla Fudo...? Oh! Ohh!" Mr. Buloni said once he realized who she was. "You're that nice girl who exchanges letter with my daughter."

"That's me." Darla smiled.

"I'm not sure where Opal is... I hope she doesn't miss Church..." Mr. Buloni sighed.

"Don't worry, Mr. Buloni, what if we found her for you and met you at the store?" Darla suggested.

"That might work out..." Mr. Buloni replied. "Thank you, Darla."

"No problem, sir." Darla smiled.

"Excuse me, I better get going." Mr. Buloni said.

The others nodded and walked off.

"We're meeting him at a store?" Cherry asked. "Why not an actual church?"

"It's complicated." Darla sighed softly.

"Uh, okay?" Cherry said, looking confused.

"Come on, you girls can help me find Opal," Darla told Amber, Annabelle, and Patch. "Hopefully she didn't get too far."

"Oh, sure, just abandon us." Cherry muttered.

Darla, Amber, Annabelle, and Patch then went to go and find Opal, wherever she might be.

"I'm sure she's not that far." Annabelle said.

Patch began to sniff around for a while. They walked and walked for what seemed like a long time, but they soon heard a girl's voice as she seemed to be playing baseball... All by herself.

"Is that her?" Amber asked.

Darla looked over, she then took out a picture of Opal that was once sent to her and it seemed to be a match. "Yes!" she then smiled. "That's her!"

The girl soon began to run and she seemed to slide a little and then jumped up happily. "Safe!" She soon heard someone clapping. This made her blink and look over to see Darla and the others.

"Oh, I didn't see you there." Opal said.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Opal." Darla smiled.

"Finally meet me?" Opal asked, a bit confused. "Oh! You're Darla from the letters! I didn't know you were coming today. No mail today because it's Sunday."

"Ugh! I forgot about that!" Darla face-palmed herself.

"Guess we should have waited until tomorrow." Amber said.

"Heh... Sorry about that, Opal." Darla added.

"Wait... What time is it?" Opal suddenly panicked before she ran to her bicycle. "Oh, my gosh! I gotta go!"

"Actually, that's the reason why we were also looking for you." Darla said.

"Uh-huh..." Opal replied, a bit rushed.

"Shouldn't you be dressed for church?" Annabelle asked.

"Don't worry, I got that covered." Opal replied.

"How?" Amber asked.

"Just trust me." Opal replied as she biked over to the gas station where church was for her and her father.

The others did their best to keep up with Opal and ran after her since they didn't have their own bikes.

"This is getting a little tiring." Amber panted.

"I'm sorry, guys." Opal said to them since she had her bike and they had to run.

Mr. Buloni smiled and welcomed people into the 'church' as he looked around for his daughter, but sighed as it looked like he would have to start without her.

"Do we have to go in for the service?" Cherry gave her best friend a look since this was a church and she wasn't very religious.

"Yes." Atticus said.

"Since when are you in charge of me, Atticus Fudo?" Cherry replied.

Atticus simply shrugged. They soon went inside to be polite as the service was getting ready to start and it seemed like Mr. Buloni would have to start without his daughter.

"I feel blessed to be brought here to Naomi to do God's work in His new church," Mr. Buloni smiled nervously as he stood in front of the patrons. "I have to admit, I-I'm still trying to get used to the idea of His house being in a convenience store. Nothing wrong with making church more convenient. I have preached in some pretty strange places in my time. Not that... Not that this is a strange place."

"We made it." Opal said as she got off her bike and put her baseball cap in the basket and brought out a skirt to wear so she would appease her father.

"Whew, hope we're not late." Darla sighed.

"You and me both." Opal replied as she wasted no time and came inside with them.

"Ah... Opal..." Mr. Buloni greeted his daughter as she came in, seeming to be a bit late as the others stared at her once she came inside before seeing the other girls along with Patch. "Come on in! Have a seat, please... Help your new friends to some seats. The dog can stay as long as he's quiet."

Patch nodded in agreement.

"This is my daughter, India Opal," Mr. Buloni introduced. "Forgive us, we're new here... Still trying to find our way around. Maybe, uh, one of you two boys could teach Opal a better shortcut to church, huh?"

The twin boys seemed to roll their eyes and when Darla looked at them, she could tell that they were Dunlap and Stevie.

"Uh... Let us begin..." Mr. Buloni then said as it was time to pray to God.

Everyone soon bowed their heads as the prayer to God started. Opal began to pray about hopefully making friends in this town, and that she missed her mother very much. Darla took a small look around as she recognized some of the kids that Opal wrote about in her letters and she knew who they were instantly once they fit their descriptions perfectly.

"Amen." Mr. Buloni then said.

"Amen." Everyone else replied.

Before they knew it, church was over.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Atticus asked Cherry.

"If you say so." Cherry shrugged.

"Seriously?" Atticus asked.

"We've been through this, I'm not a religious person." Cherry told him.

"Fair enough." Atticus said.

"I'm glad that dog was quiet... A little surprised too." Mr. Buloni told Atticus about Patch.

"Patch is a one of a kind dog." Atticus smiled.

Patch smiled back as those words meant so much to him.

"Well, that's good." Mr. Buloni smiled back to Atticus and Patch.

"That was a great day of service at church." Darla smiled.

"Oh, thank you, dear," Mr. Buloni replied. "You can help Opal out by the way, there's still some things that need to be put away."

"Of course, sir," Darla smiled. "I just love helping my friends."

"You're as sweet as a strawberry shortcake." Mr. Buloni smiled back.

"You can thank my family for helping me become the person I am today." Darla smiled back.

"Well, that's very sweet of you to say about them." Mr. Buloni replied.


	2. Chapter 2

Eventually, it was time to go back home, so they went with the father back to the trailer park while Opal rode her bike, and they were soon in the house and Opal turned on the TV, sitting on the couch with Annabelle, Amber, and Darla.

"This is a nice place you have." Amber said.

"It's not much, but it's home." Opal replied.

"India Opal, huh?" Atticus asked Mr. Buloni about his daughter's name.

"Ah, yes," Mr. Buloni replied. "I was stationed in India before she was born, and Opal was her mom's name."

"That's a very interesting name." Cherry said.

"Uh, thank you," Mr. Buloni replied. "You can call me Daniel."

"Uh, okay." Cherry said.

"Opal, come on!" Daniel eventually called out. "No TV until you put some of that stuff away."

"We'll help you." Annabelle smiled to Opal.

"Yeah, that way, it'll be done faster." Amber added.

"Thanks..." Opal replied softly.

Daniel soon went to work on his laptop computer while they would do that. Opal sighed as she seemed to be a little bit homesick.

"Feeling homesick?" Darla guessed.

"Maybe a little bit..." Opal replied as she took out a framed group photograph.

The girls looked at the photograph that Opal took out. It seemed to be Opal among with a group of other girls for a baseball team.

"I'll bet they already have a new pitcher." Opal groused about moving away.

"We're not moving back to Watley," Daniel told her. "I know it's hard movin' all the time, but that's part of my job."

Darla could only imagine how hard it could be to move from one place to another because of her parents' jobs. Patch laid his head in Opal's lap which gave her great comfort because it seemed like she needed a dog's love. Opal gently pet him as she appreciated the comfort. This gave Darla and the others an idea that a pet may be perfect for Opal.

Eventually, before they knew it, it was time for bed, and the girls wanted to stay with Opal, and they insisted that Patch stay too.

"Well... Is that okay with you?" Atticus asked Patch about staying with the girls for the night.

"It might be," Patch replied. "Besides, Opal seems like she could use an animal companion."

"Well, all right," Atticus replied. "Stay out of trouble then. I'm just worried because I know how much you love sleeping at the foot of my bed back home."

"I'll be alright; after all, I have a feeling she'll get her own dog sometime soon." Patch smiled.

"All right, boy," Atticus smiled back. "We're going to a hotel. See you guys later."

"Later, Atticus." Patch said as he waved his paw.

"This is going to be fun." Darla smiled.

Opal soon took out a mattress big enough for two girls to sleep in while she would sleep in her bed with one of the other girls.

"Pillow fight!" Darla giggled, hitting Opal with her pillow to make this fun for her since she seemed moody. Luckily, it seemed to work.

Opal soon hit Darla back with her own pillow with a small smirk. The girls then laughed as they had a pillow fight together before they all soon fell asleep together. Darla slept in the bed with Opal while Amber and Annabelle shared the mattress on the floor and Patch also kept them company for the night, and where his thoughts of what the perfect pet for Opal would be was in his dream.

Patch found himself wandering around for a bit in his dream and there seemed to be another dog far away from him, but right now, all he could see was the shadow of the dog because it was further away from him.

"Who's that?" Patch asked.

'Keep going... Go to him... He needs you...' A voice told him.

"Cookie?" Patch asked before looking around and then smiled to the female Pound Puppy who was like a surrogate mother to him like Lucky was like his surrogate father. "Cookie! It is you! ...Wait, how are you here?"

"This is a dream, I must make you feel comfortable." Cookie replied.

"Well, I do feel comfortable now, but what do you mean he needs me?" Patch asked.

"That dog needs a human of his very own..." Cookie replied. "I believe you are visiting a lonesome girl?"

"Yeah, she lives in a trailer with her dad." Patch said.

"Then I think we may have a match... Though this dog causes trouble at times." Cookie replied.

They soon walked closer to see the mysterious dog who seemed to be a bit scruffy.

"That's a... Um... What's the name again?" Patch asked.

"Berger Picard." Cookie told him.

"Yeah, one of those dogs, and he seems a bit scruffy." Patch then said.

"Lots of dogs that breed are." Cookie told him.

"Yeah, but I mean like dirty scruffy." Patch said.

"Well, he's had a rough life... No pun intended," Cookie replied. "I'm sure you can help give him a proper home."

"I sure will." Patch said.

Cookie nodded.

"What's his name?" Patch asked.

"I'm not sure why, but he likes one grocery store so much that he wants that to be his name." Cookie informed.

"Really?" Patch asked, looking confused.

"I'm not sure why, but that's just what he likes." Cookie replied.

"Well... Okay then," Patch shrugged. "So, what is the grocery store that he wants to be named after?"

"I believe over here, it's called Winn-Dixie." Cookie replied.

"Interesting name." Patch smiled.

"It does sound interesting doesn't it?" Cookie replied. "I'm sure you can help him and the girl get together."

"I'll make sure of it," Patch replied. "Like me with Atticus... Lucky with Dot... And Madeline with Genevieve."

"That's right." Cookie said.

"Thanks, Cookie," Patch replied. "Um, is Headquarters going okay without me?"

"It's going just fine," Cookie reassured. "Rebound and Cupcake keep asking and asking us though when they can hang out with Oddball again."

"I can only guess it's driving you guys a little crazy, right?" Patch guessed.

"You have no idea..." Cookie rolled her eyes slightly.

"I'll take that as a yes." Patch said.

"Mm-hmm..." Cookie replied. 

"Well... Tell them to be patient," Patch suggested. "Patience is a virtue. My dad taught me that."

"I'll tell them, although knowing them, their patience may be a little limited." Cookie said.

"I'm really sorry, Cookie..." Patch replied. "Um... I'll see what I can do. Maybe Jessica and Christopher will come home for Christmas."

"Hopefully." Cookie said.

"Anyway, thank you for showing me Winn-Dixie... I guess I know what I have to do now," Patch said. "Boy, ever since I moved away from London, my dreams are becoming more and more complex."

"I can only imagine." Cookie said.

Patch soon smiled to her. "So, uh, how have you and Lucky been?"

"Oh, we're fine..." Cookie smiled back, bashfully.

"Have you had some fun?" Patch smirked with a wink.

"Patch!" Cookie gasped as that seemed like a suggestive question from the way he asked it. 

"Just curious." Patch said.

"Hm..." Cookie replied. 'We're doing just fine, thank you for asking." 

"Great." Patch smiled.

"Good luck, Patch." Cookie told him.

"Thanks, Cookie," Patch smiled. "See you, Lucky, and the others later."

Eventually, the dream ended which would mean it was time for Patch to wake up, and when he did, he saw that Opal wasn't in the room, and she seemed to wake up before everybody else. Patch was curious of how she was awake before the others. He decided to go and see where Opal had run off to and the girl was shown to be making homemade orange juice. Patch was impressed that Opal could do that with someone at her age.

"Up and at 'em, Daddy!" Opal called out, but her father didn't seem to come out right away. "Up and at 'em, Daddy! I made orange juice! Daddy, I made orange juice!"

Patch followed Opal into her father's bedroom which was empty, and there seemed to be a note for Opal on the fridge, asking her to go to the grocery store for him, and where this seemed like fate's work doing it's magic as he knew that the dog he saw in his dream would be there. Darla, Amber, and Annabelle eventually came out.

"Daddy must be in town for something..." Opal said to them. "I gotta run to the market." 

"Can we come with?" Darla asked.

"If you don't mind." Opal replied.

"We wouldn't mind at all," Annabelle smiled. "I love shopping with my dad."

"Well, okay, come on then." Opal smiled back as she took her father's note as it had a list of food he wanted her to get. 

"Here we go." Amber smiled.

"Come along then." Opal replied as she went out of the house with them.

Cherry and Atticus came out of their hotel while Opal got ready to go on her bike. Little did anyone know, Opal would make a brand new friend in the grocery store that very day. The other girls luckily went by Atticus's car as he decided to go to the store himself to buy something to keep in their fridge.

Opal wandered around the aisles with the girls and picked up a box of macaroni. They soon saw some workers running somewhere almost as if they were in a panic. 

"What's with them?" Darla asked.

"Must be a huge mess in one of the aisles." Amber guessed.

"I'm gonna go check it out." Opal decided as she carried the box of macaroni. 

"Okay." Annabelle said.

Darla felt nervous as they walked along to see what the ruckus was all about. Opal began to pick up a couple of tomatoes before glancing over as the workers ran after someone, and one of them ran into another which made them fall and the blonde girl giggled to that as it was kind of funny. Darla also found this to be kind of funny. 

"Who could be causing such chaos?" Annabelle wondered.

"Well, it can't be Discord." Darla replied. 

"We'll have to find out." Amber said.

They walked a bit closer as the workers were running around hysterically, and soon, out came a dirty and scruffy dog that Patch had seen last night who seemed to stop right in front of Opal.

"Will somebody grab that dog, please?!" The manager demanded. "Somebody grab that dog! Somebody--"

The dog soon jumped over the produce aisle and tackled the manager down to the floor and began to lick his face. Patch smirked as the manager had that coming.

"Patch, what're you doing here?" Darla whispered sharply. "Dogs aren't allowed in grocery stores!"

"Get him off of me!" The manager groaned. "I don't like dogs! Somebody get him off of me!" 

'No big surprise why he doesn't like dogs.' Patch thought to himself with an eye roll.

Darla tried to make sure Patch wouldn't be seen. Cherry and Atticus came by with a cart, then saw the manager before snickering as they saw what had happened to him.

"It's okay, sir," Opal said, a bit amused. "All that dog wants to do is get face-to-face with you, and thank you for the good time he's havin'."

"Call the pound!" The manager groaned as the dog kept licking his face. "Mike, call the pound!" 

"Wait! Don't call the pound!" Opal suddenly cried out. "That's my dog!" 

"It's true!" Amber and Annabelle added.

Opal looked surprised at herself for saying that, she wasn't sure why she did, but there was no way she could take it back now. "Here, boy!" she then called out to the dog as he looked up at her. "C'mon, boy!" she then glanced over to see a logo before calling out, "Here, Winn-Dixie!"

The dog soon ran over to Opal like it was true that he was her dog and she soon pet him. 

'What a coincidence.' Darla thought to herself.

"Who named the dog 'Winn-Dixie'?" The manager scoffed.

"Me!" Opal smiled innocently. "It's his name, honest!"

"Don't you know better than to bring a dog in the grocery store?" The manager glared while wiping his face from dog slobber.

"Sorry, sir. It won't happen again, I promise," Opal told him before looking down to the dog. "Come on, Winn-Dixie!" 

"It's true, sir, it won't happen again." Amber said.

"Please... Just leave..." The manager groaned as he felt hurt and humiliated.

The workers and patrons watched the girls and the dog leave before looking at the manager as he sat there.

"W-W-What're y'all lookin' at?!" The manager cried to them. "That dog almost ate my face off!" 

"He was just licking you." Darla said.

The man grunted and groaned as they soon left the store.

"That girl helped me... I like her...." The scruffy dog smiled as he began to follow Opal. 

Patch smiled as he knew Opal was destined to be the scruffy dog's owner.

They soon rode back home while Cherry and Atticus continued their own grocery shopping.

Opal parked her bike and looked down to the dog. "Sit!"

The dog then smiled and sat down in front of her.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." Opal then said.

"Okay!" The dog barked once. 

"Hmm... Very obedient." Darla smiled.

Opal soon came inside of the house with her friends while the dog waited outside. Daniel was shown at his work desk and he seemed to be a bit stressed out. 

'He seems a bit stressed; maybe now isn't a good time.' Amber thought to herself.

"Daddy?" Opal gently called.

"Yes, what is it?" Daniel replied. "W-What is it, Opal?"

"I found a dog and I wanna keep it." Opal told him. 

'Oh, please, yes, that she can keep him.' Darla thought to herself.

"You... A dog?" Daniel replied. "Now, we have been through this before. You do not need a dog."

"I know it," Opal frowned. "I know I don't need a dog, but this dog needs me!"

"Oh, he doesn't neither need you." Daniel said.

"He does too!" Opal retorted before calling out. "Winn-Dixie! Here, boy!" 

The scruffy dog soon came into the room after hearing his name.

"The last thing we need is a--" Daniel told Opal firmly before yelping.

The dog barked as he soon came in, happily and excitedly. "Are you Opal's dad? I like you too!" he then barked happily while licking the man's face. 

"Aw! He likes you." Darla smiled.

"This isn't a dog, it's a horse." Daniel muttered.

"He's homeless too." Opal pointed out.

"Well, he's got a stink to him too." Daniel said as he managed to get the dog off of him. 

"We can give him a bath." Annabelle said.

"That is... If Opal can keep him..." Amber said. "I'd love to have my own dog, but my mother's allergic. Also, my aunt has lots and lots of dogs of her own."

"He needs all the help he can get, right?" Opal added. "I could be doing my duty!"

"Yeah... Well--" Daniel muttered before yelping as the dog rubbed up against him and soon seemed to smile at the man. 

'Please say yes.' Patch thought to himself.

"Look! He's smilin' at ya!" Opal beamed to her father. "Don't ya love a dog with a sense of humor?"

Daniel looked to her before looking at the dog who soon whined and held out his paw at the human. "Oh, would you run and get the tweezers?" He then asked his daughter as he took the paw. "He's got somethin' stuck in his paw."

'That explains why the dog looked like he was smiling.' Darla thought to herself.

Daniel soon put on his glasses to take a closer look and Opal handed him the tweezers once she got them and he began to help the dog out. 

"He's a nice dog, isn't he?" Opal smiled hopefully. 

Daniel didn't say anything.

"He's a great dog, isn't he?" Opal continued. 

"You can't keep this dog, Opal." Daniel sighed once he got a sharp rock out of the dog's paw.

"But isn't it a little lonely with just the two of you?" Amber asked him.

"I don't like to talk about that." Daniel sighed about his wife.

"Oh, please, Daddy, look at him!" Opal pleaded while her father just kept trying to decline. "He's skinny! He's needs to be fed well. And bathed, too! You liked Darla's dog in Church!"

The dog let out a small whine as he looked up to the man.

Daniel soon sighed as he seemed like he had no other choice. "All right, he can stay here while you're trying to find him a home or you figure out where he belongs."

'He just agreed in keeping the dog without knowing it.' Atticus thought to himself.

"He can stay?!" Opal beamed.

"Temporarily," Daniel reminded his daughter. "You're not keepin' him, Opal. This is temporary, so don't go getting your hopes up."

The dog barked as if to agree.

"I know it, sir," Opal replied before looking to the dog. "We're not gettin' our hopes up, are we, Winn-Dixie?"

"I guess we should make some signs now." Amber suggested.

"Yeah, I guess." Annabelle said.

"Come on, Winn-Dixie!" Opal beamed to the dog.

"And a bath and a shower." Daniel muttered slightly as the smell of the dog really got to him.


	3. Chapter 3

Eventually, Opal took Winn-Dixie to the backyard and began to give him a bath, she was just happy to bond with the dog, and where the girls were more than happy to help. 

"Splish-Splash, I was taking a bath~" Darla sang as they helped clean up Winn-Dixie.

Opal giggled as she began to style up Winn-Dixie's fur just for fun like she was giving him a makeover. Patch smiled as he was happy for both Opal and Winn-Dixie. The girls also felt very happy, even if no one in this town seemed to want to be her friend, but there was no better good company than having a pet around the house, especially someone as friendly and loyal as a dog.

"Okay, let's dry you off." Opal smiled.

Winn-Dixie soon began to run off from the backyard.

"Hey! Come back here, Winn-Dixie!" Opal pouted.

"He's making this into a challenge." Darla sighed.

They soon got Winn-Dixie to come back and they continued to clean him up, but the water seemed to spread to the ground which made some mud which attracted one of the neighbors, especially since they had a hose with them now.

"Little Miss... You think you're using up enough water?" An old man glared.

"Uh, we still gotta rinse." Opal replied.

"But we promise this won't be much longer." Atticus said as he made sure to keep Winn-Dixie from running again.

"And where did you get that hose?" The old man demanded.

"We didn't think you'd mind if we borrowed it." Opal replied softly.

"Well, I do mind!" The man glared sharply.

Opal then tossed the hose down and yelped as it accidentally got loose and sprayed water everywhere, including on the grumpy old man and his cat.

"We are so sorry!" Darla told him.

The cat soon began to run while Winn-Dixie tried to chase after it, but Atticus kept him from running off again.

"Nice try." Atticus told the wet dog.

The old man growled and shook his cane.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky you didn't fall on your back, you old man." Cherry said.

"Cherry!" Atticus gasped as that was a terrible thing to say.

"What? It's true." Cherry said.

"Just because something is true doesn't mean you have to say it like that." Atticus complained.

The old man soon came to Daniel to complain about Winn-Dixie which made Opal feel bad.

"Uh-oh, not good." Darla frowned.

The old man complained about a dog being around since he had signs, and Daniel tried to explain that they weren't keeping Winn-Dixie forever.

"Well, hurry it up, or I'm callin' the pound!" The old man glared.

Winn-Dixie and Patch growled slightly.

"Sir, that's a little drastic, isn't it?" Annabelle asked.

"Don't contradict me, little lady, keep that dog away from me!" The old man glared.

"Okay, okay." Annabelle said.

The old man grumbled as he walked off and the girls didn't say anything because that would be rude. Daniel soon came over to the girls and the dogs.

"Daddy...?" Opal frowned.

"Dry that dog off, Opal, and dry yourself off." Daniel muttered out as he went inside their home.

'Whew.' Darla thought to herself.

Later on, it was around dinner time which meant that it would be time for Opal and her father to eat dinner, and it seemed like the others had to go because of what had happened with Winn-Dixie and Mr. Alfred as they went back to the hotel that they were staying in.

"I hope Opal's not too upset about her mother... She talks about her a lot in her letters." Darla commented.

"Maybe I could take a little look-see into her memories of her mother to find out." Cherry said.

"You mean... Find out why she left?" Darla replied.

"Opal's mother left her?" Atticus asked as that sounded horrible.

"Yes, when Opal was only three." Darla nodded as she remembered that from the letters.

"Maybe I should go through her father's memories then." Cherry said.

"I guess..." Darla shrugged. "How powerful are you?"

"You'd be surprised." Cherry said mysteriously as they ate spaghetti.

"Alright." Darla said.

They continued to eat until they were full, and after they ate, it was about time for the girls to go to bed.

"Aw, Atticus, it's summer," Darla said. "Do we need a bedtime?"

"Sorry, Darla, but I promised Mom I'd be responsible." Atticus said as he washed their dishes.

"Dang it." Darla sighed.

"Good night, girls." Atticus said.

"Good night, Atticus." The girls replied as they went to bed to get some sleep.

Atticus looked over to his best friend. "Are you really gonna find out about Opal's mom?" he then asked.

"I might as well make myself useful." Cherry shrugged.

"Alright then." Atticus said.

"Isn't there a football game on or something?" Cherry asked him.

Atticus soon went to the living room to watch TV on the couch since he finished the dishes and the girls were now in bed.

"Here I go." Cherry said.

Atticus nodded as she soon left.

Cherry entered the Dreamscape, walking down the hallway to look for something else, and after searching for a while, she soon found what she was looking for. She came into a door which said 'MEMORIES', and it seemed to be like an office building with file cabinets. She took a look around and came to the B cabinet and opened it up, letting her fingers dance over the many files and took the one out that was for Opal's father. 

"Alright, now this should give me the information I need." Cherry said.

When she opened up the file, there seemed to be several bubbles that appeared which showed Mr. Buloni through the years from childhood, to adolescence, and early adulthood.

"Now his memory of his wife should be here somewhere." Cherry said. She looked among the many bubbles and found the man down on one knee in front of a woman with an engagement ring and she popped it.

"Opal DiCamillo, will you marry me?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"Oh... Danny... Of course I will!" A woman's voice beamed as she stood in front of him.

"This must be the moment where he proposed to her." Cherry said.

The couple hugged each other as they were very happy and excited about getting married. Cherry looked to another bubble which had the couple buying a home together, and eventually getting married, and eventually, Opal came out from the doctor's office, and was revealed to be pregnant.

"Okay, looking good so far." Cherry said.

It seemed to be very happy for the couple and they soon welcomed their bundle of joy into the world who they had named India Opal. However, it seemed to get a bit dark and depressing, at one point, Daniel was bankrupt, and this led to his wife getting into something which was dangerous.

"Opal, are you drinking?!" Daniel asked his wife.

"What of it?" The woman muttered as she sounded drunk.

"Oh, boy, here we go." Cherry sighed.

There was eventually an argument and it ended when they heard the sound of a baby crying.

"Aw, India, don't cry..." Daniel frowned. "Why is she crying?"

"Because her father's a no good preacher!" Opal spat out, speaking out of her alcoholism mixed with her moodiness.

"I highly doubt that." Cherry said.

The argument was very harsh among the man and woman who seemed so happy before.

"People talk about me, Daniel..." Opal said after a while as it was now morning and her head was on the table. "I can't live here anymore."

"Here it comes." Cherry said.

"What are you saying?" Daniel asked. "It'll get better, Opal... Our daughter will be going to school soon... You don't have to worry about others... Maybe it would help if you stopped drinking..."

"I'm sorry... I can't live like this anymore..." Opal told him as she soon left the room.

Daniel looked heartbroken, and when his wife came back downstairs, she seemed to slide off her wedding ring and put it in his hands as she had a suitcase in her other hand and began to go out the door, as if to move out.

"Okay, that was just heartless." Cherry said, referring to the wife.

Three-year-old Opal stared out the window as her mother soon went to her car and drove off, seeming to never be seen again.

Cherry wiped her eyes as that was heartbreaking, she actually seemed to have tears in her eyes. "Stupid dust must've gotten in my eyes..." she then muttered to herself.

"Are you sure it's dust?" Princess Luna's voice asked.

"Gah!" Cherry yelped. "Luna, you scared the crap out of me!"

"I'm sorry; anyway, are you sure it was dust in your eyes?" Princess Luna asked.

Cherry looked to her.

"It's okay to cry, Cherry." Princess Luna replied.

"Why would I cry?" Cherry defended. "I don't even know those people."

"No, but it's alright cry even if you don't know them." Princess Luna said.

Cherry rolled her eyes even though she was crying.

"I saw the memory as well, and even I couldn't believe how heartless the mother was." Princess Luna said.

"Yeah... It's a bit... Depressing..." Cherry replied. "No wonder Dimples' friend is so lonely before we showed up for a visit."

"Please be sure that they keep the dog." Princess Luna said.

"Um... I'll try, but that might be a challenge with that crank next door." Cherry replied.

"Ah, yes, he is quite a challenge." Princess Luna said.

"Tell me about it..." Cherry muttered. "And I thought Eustace Bagge hated dogs, and he owned one."

"I know, right?" Princess Luna asked.

"Wait, you know Eustace?" Cherry replied.

"I know what you know." Princess Luna teased.

"Very funny." Cherry rolled her eyes then.

"Anyway, good luck." Princess Luna said.

"I'm sure I'll need it..." Cherry replied. "Um... What is this place called again? In case I need to visit it again?"

"The Memory Bank." Princess Luna informed.

"Right... Right... I'll be sure to visit here again in the future when I don't need to worry about my friends and their dreams." Cherry said.

"I'm sure as well." Princess Luna replied.

Cherry soon went to put the file back and began to leave the Memory Bank while Princess Luna walked off after her student did what she had to do. She began to wonder on what to do now. Atticus was seen asleep on the couch with the TV on. Cherry waved her hand in front of his face and then turned off the TV and gave him a pillow and a blanket.

The next day...

Opal was trying to brush Winn-Dixie's teeth.

"Opal, you ready to head out and put up those signs?" Daniel called.

"Yes, sir!" Opal replied. "Hold on."

The girls and Patch were seen waiting outside.

Opal and Winn-Dixie began to walk together.

"Leave him here." Daniel told his daughter.

"Stay here..." Opal sighed to Winn-Dixie as she didn't want to leave him, but she had to. "Stay!"

"Do as she says." Patch whispered to Winn-Dixie.

Winn-Dixie pouted, but he did stay put.

"I'll keep you company." Patch smiled.

"Really, new best friend forever and ever?" Winn-Dixie smiled back.

"Yeah." Patch nodded with a smile.

"Okay!" Winn-Dixie said. "I can't wait to spend more time with Opal later."

"I hope you can, Winn-Dixie, I hope you can." Patch replied with a small sigh since it didn't seem like he would stay with Opal and her father very long.

Opal soon went with her father, Darla, Amber, and Annabelle as they put flyers all around since they couldn't keep Winn-Dixie.

'I have a feeling that no one owns Winn-Dixie before Opal found him.' Amber thought to herself.

"You girls wanna make this interesting?" Darla asked Amber and Annabelle. "Like a bet?"

"Is that legal?" Annabelle gasped.

"Relax, no money will be involved," Darla said. "I bet Winn-Dixie is found by his owner, and the owner lets Opal keep him."

"Well, I bet that Winn-Dixie doesn't have an owner at all." Amber suggested.

"Alright, then deal." Darla said.

"What about you, Annabelle?" Amber asked.

"Uh... I think I might agree with you, Amber," Annabelle said. "I'm not sure myself."

"Fair enough." Darla nodded as they all shook hands on it.

The girls began to put up flyers with Winn-Dixie's picture on it. Opal sighed as this felt hard on her as they posted flyers around until they went back home.

"Now all we have to do is wait." Darla said.

When they came in the house, there seemed to be a bit of a mess.

"When I said let's play a game, this was not what I had in mind." Patch told Winn-Dixie as the others came back.

"What happened here?!" Darla panicked.

"Winn-Dixie happened..." Patch sighed.

"Yay! You're back! You're back!" Winn-Dixie barked happily as he shook himself dry. 

"The joys of having a pet." Darla sighed.

Of course, because of this, Winn-Dixie would have to be put outside for the night.

"Winn-Dixie must have been used to making a mess." Cherry said.

"He did..." Darla sighed as she bowed her head in depression. "I hope that Opal's dad doesn't make Winn-Dixie go away."

Cherry gave a small frown before looking away. "Hey, kid... You don't need to worry..." she then said, lifting the girl's head up as they talked about this. "It'll be all right." 

"You sure?" Darla asked.

"Yeah, he wouldn't do anything to upset his daughter, Opal." Cherry said.

"Do you really think so, Cherry?" Darla asked.

"Call it a hunch, but I know so." Cherry told her. 

"Okay, I trust your hunch." Darla said.

"That's a good Dimples." Cherry replied. 

Darla smiled as she knew to trust Cherry's hunch. Little did Daniel also know that Opal took down certain flyers so that no one would claim Winn-Dixie to take him away because she really loved him like her very own pet.


	4. Chapter 4

One day, Opal rode her bike as the other girls followed her, but Winn-Dixie seemed to go over to a certain shop.

"Hey, boy, where are we going?" Opal asked before she soon stopped and Winn-Dixie looked into the window to see pet collars on display. 

"He wants a pet collar." Darla said.

"You like that?" Opal smiled to Winn-Dixie. "I bet if you had a collar like that, you'd feel like you belonged to somebody."

Winn-Dixie smiled and touched the glass with his paw.

"Well, maybe we could afford it." Opal guessed as Winn-Dixie came through a doggy door since it was a pet shop. 

"I wonder how much it costs?" Darla said.

They soon came inside, and the shop seemed to be empty except for animals.

"Hello?" Opal called out as she took the red collar that Winn-Dixie wanted.

"Hello?" A voice replied. 

"Who said that?" Darla asked.

"Who said that?" The voice replied.

"...I'm an idiot." Darla smirked.

"You're an idiot." The voice replied.

Darla glared and growled as she looked around for the voice. "Alright, wise guy, where are you?" She glared.

Amber and Annabelle soon followed after Darla.

"I think I found her." Annabelle said.

Darla looked over and then looked with Annabelle to see that it was a parrot. "Ohhh..." she then said.

"Someone has to be here... I mean, the door was open." Amber said as they looked around the pet shop. 

"Yeah, but where could the store owner be?" Annabelle asked.

They began to wander around to look for someone and even came to the back to see a man there.

"I-I-I'm sorry..." Opal nervously said to him. "Do you work here?"

"Yeah, but we're closed," The worker replied as he walked in, then jolted as he got sniffed. "Hey! Hey..."

"Oops, sorry, Winn-Dixie, come!" Amber called out.

Winn-Dixie then stopped sniffing the man and walked over.

"Don't mind him," Opal said. "That's just how he says hello."

The man muttered slightly as he went behind the counter.

"Um, that's Winn-Dixie, and I'm Opal," The girl then continued. "And these are Amber, Annabelle, and Darla."

"And this is Patch." Darla added.

"And you are?" Amber smiled politely.

"I'm Otis." The man replied.

"Otis!" The parrot copied him.

"And who's the parrot?" Annabelle asked Otis.

"Gertrude." Otis replied.

"Nice name." Darla said.

"Well, Otis, my dog sure likes this red collar, but I don't get a big enough allowance afford somethin' this fancy." Opal said as she brought out the collar that Winn-Dixie pointed out. 

"Well, look, Miss," Otis replied. "I'm mostly just here to take care of the animals."

"Otis!" The parrot squawked. "Shut up, idiot!"

"Uh, did Gertrude just talk without parroting someone?" Amber asked.

"It happens sometimes..." Otis rolled his eyes. 

"I was thinking maybe we could set up an installment plan." Opal piped up.

"Well, I don't think I can do that." Otis said to her.

"Well, I could work for you," Opal suggested. "I could come in and sweep the floors and straighten up the shelves and take out the trash. I could do that." 

"Well, that's what I do." Otis told her.

"Oh..." Opal frowned as she got her hopes up. "Well, you sure need some help."

"Otis! Hello!" Gertrude squawked.

"I'm real trustworthy, but the only thing is, Winn-Dixie, my dog, he'd have to come inside with me while I work," Opal said to Otis. "He doesn't like to be left alone."

"Well, Gertrude doesn't like dogs." Otis replied.

"Really?" Amber asked.

"Just the way she is," Otis shrugged. "Named after the owner too."

"Well, she might like Winn-Dixie," Opal suggested. "Almost everybody does. If the two of'em get along, then could I have the job?"

"Mm... I dunno." Otis shrugged as Winn-Dixie came up to Gertrude.

"Dog! Dog! Dog!" Gertrude squawked.

Patch simply face-pawed as he knew that wasn't good.

"I know it's a dog." Otis deadpanned to the parrot.

"Gertrude's a pretty bird!" Gertrude squawked and soon flew over to Winn-Dixie and sat on his head.

Patch soon smiled as that was a good sign.

"See? She likes him!" Opal beamed to Otis. "That's pretty amazing, don't you think?"

"I'll be damned..." Otis muttered to himself.

Amber was happy that this was working out.

"Then we're all set then," Opal smiled before going to leave. "Thanks!"

"No, wait, Miss, I-I c-can't just give you a job," Otis stammered. "I can't just give you a--"

"Thank you," Opal replied. "You won't be sorry. I'm a real hard worker."

"Besides, this way, she'll be able to pay for the collar." Amber added.

Otis sighed as it seemed pointless to argue about not letting Opal get a job, but he saw that agreeing was easier than disagreeing, so he allowed it. 

"I'm gonna get a job, you guys." Opal smiled to Darla, Amber, and Annabelle.

"It's gonna be great working here." Annabelle smiled, happy for Opal.

"You guys will help me, right?" Opal asked.

"Of course," Amber replied. "What're friends for?"

"Yeah." Darla added.

"You guys are the best." Opal smiled as she finally had some friends around here since no one seemed to want to be her friend in this town.

"No problem, Opal." Darla smiled back.

They soon went back to Opal's for a bit as it was nearly sunset. Daniel appeared to be on the phone with someone who was calling about Winn-Dixie as they came through the door later on. Opal and Winn-Dixie seemed to have the same feeling as they listened in, but kept hidden so that Daniel wouldn't see them.

"Uh-huh, yeah, look, he's very playful," Daniel said as he was on the phone. "Yeah, he's great with kids. Opal thinks the world of him. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, listen, if you think of somebody, you be sure to give me a call, all right? I hope to see you in church on Sunday." he then hung up after a while.

"Are you actually thinking of giving up Winn-Dixie?" Darla asked once he hung up the phone. "What about Opal and Winn-Dixie?"

"Gah! Darla, I didn't see you there." Daniel yelped, feeling startled as she seemed to come from nowhere.

"Don't you care about Opal's happiness?" Darla asked. "And what about Winn-Dixie? He'll miss her so much, he'll miss both of you."

"He won't know what he's missing, and I can't keep Winn-Dixie here," Daniel sighed. "Mr. Alfred has a strict no dogs and kids policy, he made an exception for Opal because I bought this property before we moved in."

"But Opal will be so sad when Winn-Dixie's gone, before me, Amber, and Annabelle came, she didn't have any friends." Darla frowned.

"Oh, Darla, please, don't make this harder than it has to be..." Daniel replied.

"I just don't want to see Opal sad." Darla frowned.

"Neither do I..." Daniel admitted with a frown back.

"If only we could change Mr. Alfred's mind and get him to get rid of the no dog policy." Darla said.

"I'm sorry, but you shouldn't get involved," Daniel replied. "You're a little girl... I also called Animal Control to take Winn-Dixie away by tomorrow."

"NO!" Darla yelped.

"I'm sorry, but it must be done." Daniel sighed.

"So would you mind explaining this to her right now?" Darla asked.

"I guess I should..." Daniel said softly. "It's gonna be hard."

"You won't have to wait." Darla frowned before Opal came out with Winn-Dixie, Amber, and Annabelle and Patch.

"Oh, Opal..." Daniel frowned. "Um... Listen... Someone's coming to pick up Winn-Dixie tomorrow."

"I know, I heard...." Opal frowned. "We heard everything....."

"Oh, Opal..." Daniel frowned back. "You know we can't keep the dog."

Darla knew this had to be hard.

"Daddy, you can't let them do this!" Opal cried.

"I-I'm sorry, Opal, but I have to," Daniel frowned to his daughter. "We have to."

Patch frowned as he didn't know what to do. Opal soon didn't say anything, but just ran to the safety of her bedroom which made her father sigh as he should've expected that from her. Darla frowned as she also expected this.

"I'm really sorry..." Daniel said to the kids. "Please don't you all be mad at me too."

"Well... I guess we can't fully blame you..." Amber said.

"I'm sure something will turn out in the end," Annabelle suggested. "I have a feeling in my heart."

"Same here." Darla said.

Daniel just sighed as he felt like he was left in a tight spot because of what was going to happen tomorrow morning.

'Please let Winn-Dixie stay with them.' Patch thought to himself, referring to Opal and her father.

Daniel didn't say anything as he just went to his own bed for the night while Opal stayed in her room that night with Winn-Dixie, and where Patch decided to stay with them and would do everything in his power to keep Winn-Dixie from being taken.

The girls soon came back.

"Patch is staying at the Buloni house?" Atticus asked the girls once they came back. "Well... If he really wants to. He's such a good and loyal friend."

"He's going to try and keep Winn-Dixie from getting taken away from Opal and her dad." Darla said.

"Like I said, Patch is such a good and loyal friend." Atticus replied.

"Why can't Cherry be like that?" Darla asked.

"Aw, Darla... Cherry's a good friend..." Atticus said. "She's my best friend after all."

"Yeah, that's true." Darla smiled.

"I know she might not seem like it a lot, but she has her moments," Atticus replied. "Before I knew about Jessica or when you were adopted, she was practically my sister."

"Aw!" The girls smiled.

Cherry soon came out of the shower and was in her pajamas as she looked a bit tired tonight.

"Okay, girls, better get settled in for the night." Atticus suggested as Cherry didn't like too much noise if she was winding down for the evening.

"Alright," The girls said. "Night, Atticus, night, Cherry."

"Good night, girls." Atticus replied.

"Night." Cherry added.

The girls then went to get themselves set for bed, just hoping the best for tomorrow while Patch stayed with the Buloni family that night.

"Well, I better get some rest." Atticus yawned.

Cherry nodded and let him go to get some sleep.

"Don't stay up too late, Cherry." Atticus said as he went to get some sleep.

"I won't stay up late." Cherry said.

Atticus nodded and soon crawled into bed to get some sleep.

"I just wish I could help you guys with Winn-Dixie," Cherry then whispered once they all fell asleep and she stared out the window. "Maybe something will come to me during my work in the dream realm."

Eventually, once everyone fell asleep, Cherry began to explore the Dream Realm.

"Casper seems to be taking care of fairy tale adventures..." Cherry commented. "Makes me wonder how he hasn't been sent to Ever After High... Even if Cathleen thinks that sounds like a bad rip-off on Monster High." She soon saw that Opal's dad was asleep as she saw his door and where she had a feeling this might be her opportunity to try and help. She soon looked around and opened the door, going inside of it and closing it behind her.

"Here goes nothing." Cherry said.

Daniel seemed to be having a rather depressing dream about his wife leaving him, he saw her coming back sometimes, but she usually had something mean or nasty to say to him which would hurt his feelings, such as telling him that he was a bad father.

"Yeah, that's not happening this time." Cherry said as she made the nightmare wife vanish.

Daniel looked surprised and looked around.

"It looks to me like someone is being consumed by the emotion of fear," Cherry said to herself, remembering some of Princess Luna's tutoring. "Perhaps, he is just scared because he's alone, and not even God can help him."

Daniel soon looked and saw Cherry and wondered how she got in his dream.

"Don't be afraid, sir," Cherry replied before smirking. "Though I can be pretty scary."

"Berry? What're you doing here?" Daniel asked.

"First of all, it's Cherry, and secondly, I'm here to help you." Cherry told the preacher.

"Help me?" Daniel asked. "With what?"

"Your fears," Cherry said. "You seem to feel like you're living in a nightmare because you still feel guilt and you're repressing the fact that your wife left you and you're having a hard time raising a ten-year-old girl by yourself." she then added, sounding like a therapist.

"Actually, that's exactly what I'm feeling." Daniel said before the area changed into a therapy room.

"I see... I see..." Cherry replied as her glasses seemed to change to fit with the mood. 

"I just don't know what to do sometimes..." Daniel said. "I love Opal very much, and I want her to be happy, but... I just don't know what to do."

"Well, what's your heart telling you?" Cherry asked.

"I'm not sure... I called Animal Control, that's what I thought was right." Daniel replied.

"Hmm... Really? Then why am I getting the opposite answer?" Cherry asked.

"Uh, tonight seems like a clear night, I think tomorrow might be a thunderstorm, but I'm not certain," Daniel replied. "Why?"

"Winn-Dixie might have some issues..." Cherry replied. "Most dogs hate thunder."

"Oh, right..." Daniel said.

"It seems to be a dog thing..." Cherry said, knowing how dogs felt about thunderstorms. "Especially Patch when he was first adopted by Atticus."

"He must have been frightened." Daniel said.

"Yeah, Patch can never sleep alone," Cherry replied. "At least that I know of..."

"Well, Winn-Dixie will never be alone with me and Opal around." Daniel said.

"Now you're starting to sound like a real father." Cherry sounded happy even if she didn't exactly physically show it, but people like Atticus knew that she was.

Daniel smiled as he was happy to hear that.

"Thank you, Dr. Harvey." Cherry hid a small smirk from her practice as a dream therapist about her old friend's father who now used his therapeutic studies with ghosts such as Casper's uncles as patients.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day soon came. Daniel woke up, feeling weirded out by the dream he had, but he also felt motivated when he woke up that morning. Winn-Dixie played with Opal for a bit until Animal Control came to take him away which made him come outside only to be taken while Patch ran outside to help Winn-Dixie.

"Don't worry, Winn-Dixie, I won't let Animal Control take you away." Patch told him.

The Animal Control people tried to get Winn-Dixie, much to Opal's misfortune.

"Go away!" Patch growled and barked loudly to make them go away, sounding like his father.

"Now, come on, boy, we just want your friend." One of the Animal Control people said as he reached out for Winn-Dixie.

"No!" Patch barked and growled. "Leave Winn-Dixie alone! This is his home!"

"Sir, I need you to sign this release form, please." Another worker told Daniel as he soon came out.

"No! It's not right, Daddy!" Opal cried out. "You know it isn't! Please, Daddy, he was the first real friend I've ever had! Don't take him away, please!"

"Wait... Don't take him." Daniel soon said after remembering his dream from last night.

Patch smiled as he was happy to hear that.

"What?" One of the workers asked Daniel. "Isn't this the dog?"

"Uh, there's been a mistake," Daniel replied. "This isn't the dog, and neither is this one."

Patch smiled as Winn-Dixie wouldn't get taken away and neither would he. Daniel eventually took a loan out of the church to pay off of his and Opal's rent, but he had to promise Mr. Alfred that he would find Winn-Dixie a home before the end of the summer.

Amber, Annabelle, and Darla began to help Opal out with her pet store job as she began to wash the windows as Otis was walking a goat inside of the shop to be adopted by somebody.

"This sure is fun." Annabelle said.

"Sure... Lots of fun..." Darla muttered as they cleaned up, but she wasn't complaining too much. 

"It won't be long now until we're done for the day, Darla, I promise." Opal told her pen pal.

"I hope so." Darla said.

They continued to work until Otis let them go for the day.

Later on, they started to hang out once they were done and Opal was starting to sketch a map of her new home.

"Whatcha drawin'?" Winn-Dixie whined and panted.

Opal smiled to him, even if she didn't understand him, she turned her sketchbook over to show him. "This is our town. See? Kinda lonely, isn't it?"

"I know where we can go." Winn-Dixie barked to her before putting his paw up and he began to run off on his own.

"Where is he going?" Amber asked.

"Wait, Winn-Dixie, wait for us, boy!" Opal told the dog.

Opal soon got on her bike while the girls followed on their own bikes as they followed after Winn-Dixie as he climbed up the front steps to a small building.

"Winn-Dixie, come back here, that's the library!" Opal told her dog. "Winn-Dixie, you can't go in there! It says so on the sign!"

"This is a library?" Annabelle asked. "It looks more like a grandmother's house."

"It sure does." Amber said.

Opal soon came to the door and opened it to go inside and explore with the others, but she shut the door to keep Winn-Dixie outside. There appeared to be an older woman sitting behind her desk, but she appeared to be sleeping. As they explored, they soon heard a yelp which startled them all. They soon went and checked to see it was the librarian.

"Uh, are you all right, ma'am?" Annabelle asked out of concern.

"It's a bear!" The librarian replied nervously.

"A bear?" Darla asked out of confusion.

"It's a bear," The librarian shivered. "He's come back!"

"He has?" Opal asked out of concern.

"Where is he?" Darla added.

"He's right out there." The librarian said, but pointed to Winn-Dixie's shadow from outside.

"Ohh, ma'am, that's not a bear; that's just the shadow of Opal's dog, Winn-Dixie." Darla smiled.

"A dog?" The librarian whispered. "Oh... It's your dog... You sure?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'm positive; I know him anywhere," Opal told her as Winn-Dixie peeked around the windows. "Let me help you up. Come on."

"Who are you?" The librarian then asked once she got up off of the floor once Opal helped her up.

The girls began to introduce themselves.

"Oh, I'm Miss Franny," The librarian replied. "You must think I'm a silly ol' thing mistaking a dog for a bear. Are you sure that is a dog?"

"Yes, ma'am." The girls told her. 

"I'm sure," Opal added. "He just don't like to be left alone, that's all. Sorry to bother you, Miss Franny."

"Well, I-I had a bad experience with a bear coming into Herman W. Block Memorial Library, and I've never quite gotten over it." Miss Franny clarified.

"A bear came into the library?" Opal asked.

"Oh, yes," Miss Franny nodded. "It's quite a story."

"Care to share with us?" Amber asked.

"It sounds nice, but... Winn-Dixie gets lonely without me..." Opal frowned softly.

"Well... Maybe we could make an exception." Miss Franny suggested.

Once Winn-Dixie came in, it was time to hear Miss Franny's story.

"Now, one hot Thursday, way back then, I was sittin' here in the library, and all the doors and windows were wide open," Miss Franny began to tell her story. "And I had my nose in a book until I noticed a very peculiar smell. A very strong smell. And I raised my eyes up slowly and standing right in front of me was a bear."

"Whoa." Darla whispered.

"A very large bear!" Miss Franny continued.

"How large was it?" Opal wondered.

"At least four times the size of your dog." Miss Franny replied.

"Whoa." Amber said.

"Then what happened?" Opal asked.

"I very slowly, and very carefully raised up the book I was reading." Miss Franny said as she demonstrated with a book beside her.

"What book was that?" Annabelle asked.

"War & Peace," Miss Franny replied. "And I carefully aimed it, and I threw it right at him! Be gone!"

Winn-Dixie soon barked once.

"Good dog, thank you." Miss Franny smiled to that.

"You're welcome." Winn-Dixie barked again, but of course, it wouldn't be properly understood.

"And do you know what?" Miss Franny then asked.

"No," Opal said. "What?"

"This is why I will never forget," Miss Franny replied. "He took the book with him."

"Nuh-uh!" The girls replied in disbelief.

"Yes, ma'am, he snatched it up and ran off!" Miss Franny replied.

"So, weird, what would a bear want to take a book?" Annabelle asked.

"You got me." Darla shrugged herself.

"Did he ever come back?" Opal then asked.

"No. I never saw him again," Miss Franny replied. "Well, the men in town, they used to tease me about it. They used to say, 'Miss Franny, we saw that bear of yours out in the woods today. He was reading War & Peace, and said it sure was good, and he'd like to check it out again'. Ah, I imagine I'm the only one who even recalls that bear."

"You don't have a husband or children?" Darla frowned at Miss Franny.

"No... I've never married." Miss Franny replied.

Winn-Dixie came towards Miss Franny as that sounded a bit sad.

"Why not?" Darla asked.

"I didn't have the need." Miss Franny said as she pet the dog.

"But you don't have anyone." Amber said.

"I have these books," Miss Franny smiled softly. "Now, look at that... That dog's smilin' at me."

"He must like you." Darla said softly about that with a small smile.

"Would you like to be friends?" Opal asked Miss Franny. "You me, Darla, Amber, Annabelle, and Winn-Dixie? Would you wanna be friends?"

"Why... That would be fine..." Miss Franny smiled to that. "That would be grand. Just grand."

Darla was happy to hear that.

Later on, Opal and Winn-Dixie were alone together, and she talked with him about things that were on her mind, and he was a good listener. Opal had to admit that everything great that happened this summer happened because of Winn-Dixie, but that night would be a bit of a challenge. The girls decided to sleep over that night and Patch agreed to it as Cherry suggested it, but not because she wanted to get rid of them, but because it would be good for Winn-Dixie, and where she was right to suggest it as that night was going to be a stormy night.

"Feels weird that Cherry suggested a sleepover..." Darla said. "I guess you're right about her being a good friend, Atticus."

"See? She has her moments." Atticus smiled.

"Yeah, I guess she does," Darla replied. "We made a new friend too. Her name's Miss Franny, she's the librarian."

"I like her already." Atticus smiled about the girls befriending a librarian.

"This is going to be fun." Darla smiled.

"We got popcorn, we got candy, we got soda, we got pizza." Amber smiled back.

"I've never had a slumber party before." Opal said to her new friends.

"We'll teach you everything you need to know about slumber parties." Annabelle smiled.

"Wow... Thanks..." Opal smiled back.

Thunder lightly rumbled outside which would begin the storm and Winn-Dixie began to whimper.

"Calm down, it's just a storm, it'll blow over." Patch soothed Winn-Dixie.

"I-I guess so..." Winn-Dixie shivered.

"What movie are we gonna watch?" Opal asked.

"My Aunt Anita recommended this to me," Amber said. "It's called Wishbone." 

"Ooh, nice." Annabelle smiled.

"I don't know much about it, but it must be nice if Aunt Anita and Uncle Roger like it." Amber replied.

"What's it about?" Darla asked her best friend.

"This dog basically has dreams of becoming like famous literary characters like facing Robin Hood." Amber replied as she put the video in. 

"Cool." Annabelle smiled.

"I hope that it is." Amber smiled back to Annabelle and Darla as they got settled in to watch the video about an imaginative Jack Russel Terrier. 

"This is going to be fun." Opal smiled back.

The girls smiled to each other as they began to enjoy their little slumber party while Winn-Dixie felt nervous from the rain outside. Patch began to do his best to keep Winn-Dixie calm. The movie proved to be entertaining and Patch smiled as he began to imagine having an adventure with Wishbone while comforting Winn-Dixie as he wasn't as scared around thunderstorms anymore as the scruffy dog was soon slowly calming down because of the movie. It was a good slumber party for everyone.

The next day seemed to come quickly with the girls going into work at the pet store, but when they came inside, the animals seemed relaxed and quiet for a change. 

"They seem relaxed and quiet." Darla whispered.

"What's going on in here today?" Annabelle wondered.

They soon heard music and began to follow it and they saw that it was Otis, playing a guitar.

'Otis can play a guitar?' Amber thought to herself.

Otis continued to play. Eventually, Gertrude saw Winn-Dixie and began to squawk at him which made the other animals cause a ruckus.

"Oh, Otis!" Opal yelped. "The animals!"

"Oh, God... Help me here!" Otis panicked as he sprung into action. 

"We'll help with them!" Darla, Amber, and Annabelle told him.

"Hurry!" Otis replied.

"Come here, little piglet," Amber told the squealing piglet. "Ooh, you remind me of Dumpling."

This was indeed a challenge for the group.

"I'll get the rabbits!" Opal decided.

Sweetie Pie was shown out the pet store window, watching what was going on as she sucked on her knuckle like a baby.

"Hey, I know!" Darla said. "Otis, play some music!"

"Yeah, the animals seemed so quiet and at peace when you were playing your guitar." Amber added.

"Play some more music, Otis!" Opal cried out.

Otis soon sat down, reaching for his guitar and began to play his music again to settle down the animals. Eventually, the animals began to quiet and settle down from the music.

"Far out! Do it again!" Gertrude squawked.

"Well, it seems to be working." Opal said once they saw all of the animals calmed down.

"Thank goodness." Annabelle sighed in relief.

The girls soon decided to sit down as Otis smiled while playing his music, and eventually, a customer came inside, and it was Sweetie Pie.

"I'm gonna tell my ma about what I seen," Sweetie Pie said as she pointed at Otis. "That man's magic. He's a magic man!" she then began to leave. "Bye, Magic Man! Bye, Opal! Bye, Darla, Amber, and Annabelle!"

Even after Sweetie Pie left, Otis kept on playing his guitar.

"Well, that was nice." Amber commented as Sweetie Pie seemed like a nice girl.

Opal soon looked at Otis, quite curiously. "Are you really a magic man?" she then asked him.

"I was just playin' for the animals," Otis replied. "They seem to... They seem to like it."

"They sure do." Annabelle said.

"Yes, sir..." Opal added. "Did they escape from their cages?"

"No, I left the cages open." Otis replied.

"So then the animals could have plenty of room to move around?" Darla guessed.

"I dunno..." Otis sighed. "It's no good bein' locked up."

"Locked up!" Gertrude squawked.

"Shut up." Otis glared at her.

"Shut up, idiot!" Gertrude continued.

The girls became curious as to why Otis would let the animals roam around out of their cages.

"Shouldn't one of you be sweeping up?" Otis muttered out as he soon got up and left before grabbing a broom and holding out his guitar by accident. "Why don't you sweep up?"

"With your guitar?" Opal asked.

"Just sweep up the place, and clean it up a little bit, this mess." Otis then muttered, giving Opal the broom before he went to sit back down with his guitar.

Darla frowned as she had a feeling something was bothering Otis. Opal began to sweep up the floor while Otis played his guitar.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day came which was a Sunday which meant that Opal and her father had to get to church.

"He doesn't wanna be left alone is all," Opal said as she tied up Winn-Dixie before making an excellent point. "Can't we bring him? You let Atticus bring Patch."

Winn-Dixie even whined about being left alone.

"That mutt ain't got a home yet?" Mr. Alfred complained.

"Uh, no, not yet, but we're working on it." Daniel smiled nervously.

"I got myself a dog like that myself, a real howler," Mr. Alfred said. "But I got him to shut up."

Atticus soon came over with Patch and the girls, minus Cherry.

"You did?" Daniel asked. "How?"

"I shot him." Mr. Alfred smirked. 

"Well, you can't shoot a church goin' dog," Opal argued. "It'd be a sin!"

"She's right." Darla added.

Winn-Dixie began to bark. Daniel soon gestured for Opal to untie Winn-Dixie and let him come along, but on one condition. Patch would make sure Winn-Dixie wouldn't make any trouble.

In church, everyone sat together while Daniel stood as the choir sang Amazing Grace. It seemed to be going well until Winn-Dixie started howling because he missed Opal already.

"Winn-Dixie, calm down, it's not like they're gone forever," Patch told the scruffy dog. "Just wait until after church is over."

"I miss Opal." Winn-Dixie whined.

"I know, but it won't be long." Patch replied.

The twin boys in church started to mock Winn-Dixie's howling and one of them began to imitate it only to get smacked by his mother with a pamphlet. 

"Alright, alright, that's enough, everyone stop, just please stop," Daniel told his patrons. "Thank you. Opal?"

"He doesn't know the words is all." Opal shrugged.

"Opal?" Daniel asked his daughter firmly.

"But he sure is moved by the spirit?" Opal smiled nervously. 

"Get that dog now." Daniel told her.

"Yes, sir." Opal replied before going outside, and where she took off Winn-Dixie's leash and put it away before bringing him inside.

Patch looked over and soon followed them inside of the market/church. The church patrons seemed to have a problem with this and laughed once Winn-Dixie came inside.

"Are dogs allowed in church?" An older girl asked her mother beside her.

The older girl's mother simply shrugged.

"Sit... Sit!" Opal whispered sharply to Winn-Dixie.

Winn-Dixie soon sat down by her feet while Opal sat in her chair and Patch came to Atticus's feet.

"We, uh, we recently celebrated the hundredth anniversary of man learning to fly," Daniel said to the patrons. "Now, that's the sort of miracle that we tend to take for granted nowadays. But for hundreds of years, man was taking that same kind of leap of faith, and falling right on his butt."

Everyone soon laughed a little as that was funny, and where Winn-Dixie barked once. Darla giggled behind her hand.

"Yep, folks, they was tyin' themselves to kites, and homemade wings and hurlin' themselves off of barns, and crashin' off of cliffs," Daniel continued as Winn-Dixie looked over and he soon saw a mouse loose in the church. "So how did the Wright Brothers do it when everyone else was nose-divin' for centuries?"

"Don't even think about it." Opal whispered sharply.

"They saw the unique value in all the inventors around 'em," Daniel continued to educate his patrons while Opal tried to restrain Winn-Dixie. "Did you know that part of their wing design was actually the same design as a railroad bridge?"

"Winn-Dixie, just leave the mouse alone." Patch whispered to the scruffy dog.

"Yeah, isn't that a genius leap? Using a bridge to fly?" Daniel continued.

"That's a new one on me, sir." Atticus spoke up with a small smile.

"Winn-Dixie, please stay." Patch whispered.

"That mouse is mocking me." Winn-Dixie growled and he soon began to chase the mouse, getting out of Opal's grip.

"Keep on preachin'! I got him!" Opal told her father as she went after the dog.

"Oh, man, this is a bigger disaster than those Beethoven movies!" Patch cried out. 

"Should we join in to help get Winn-Dixie?" Darla whispered to her brother.

"Come on then." Atticus whispered back to his little sister.

They soon went to help Opal out as Winn-Dixie made a fuss because of a mouse while Daniel continued to preach, but it was rather difficult with the ruckus. 

"Winn-Dixie, please stop." Patch told the scruffy dog.

"But that mouse!" Winn-Dixie whined in defense. 

"It's just a mouse, let it go." Patch told him.

Winn-Dixie pouted to that.

"Stop..." Patch warned.

Winn-Dixie soon sighed and then gave up.

"Who knew one little mouse could cause so much trouble?" Atticus tutted and shook his head as he picked the mouse up by its tail. "You don't look like Jerry though." 

The mouse looked confused by that name. Atticus went to the door to let the mouse back out into the wild. The mouse then scurried off around the ground, leaving the market/church.

"Let us pray." Daniel suggested. 

'That could have been a bigger problem.' Darla thought to herself.

"For that mouse." Daniel then said.

Some of the patrons chuckled as that was a bit funny.

"I'm sorry." Winn-Dixie pouted to Opal. 

Patch could understand that Winn-Dixie didn't mean to chase the mouse. Darla was just relieved that Winn-Dixie didn't get in trouble.

Eventually, church ended, and everybody left for the day.

"That was eventful." Amber said.

"We should tell Cherry," Annabelle said. "This was a lot more interesting than sleeping an extra hour."

"I hate to leave Cherry all alone, but she's not really a church person." Atticus said to them. 

"Ohh." The girls said.

"We'll see you a bit later, okay, Opal?" Darla called.

"Okay..." Opal smiled. "I'm really glad you guys are here for the summer." 

"Same here." Amber smiled back.

They soon separated for that time being with Atticus and the girls going back to the hotel.

"I really hope I'm doing a good job helping keeping an eye on Winn-Dixie." Patch said to himself, but he was.

"I'm sure you are, Patch." Atticus soothed his dog. 

"I just wanna make sure that Winn-Dixie can stay with Opal and her dad." Patch said.

"I'm sure he will," Atticus replied. "Give it time. I'm not sure about the Pound Puppies or if they can see this or not, but I'm very proud of you, Patch. You're a good dog." 

"Thanks, Atticus." Patch smiled.

"Of course, Patch." Atticus smiled back.

Time had passed again and Opal was coloring the map she made in her sketchbook as the girls had another lazy summer day together outside.

"Doesn't it look better?" Opal smiled to Winn-Dixie. 

Patch soon came over and saw what was going on and decided to check on the map with Winn-Dixie.

"Hey, boy." Darla smiled to her brother's dog.

Patch smiled back to her. Opal soon continued to color until Winn-Dixie began to go off suddenly, yet again. Patch became curious as to where Winn-Dixie was going this time as he followed him.

They soon went off with the dogs walking while the kids rode on their bikes and were soon followed by twin boys.

"That dog looks like a dirty carpet!" Dunlap mocked.

"Yeah!" Stevie laughed with his brother. 

"Oh, be quiet!" Darla glared.

"I can hear you!" Opal added. "I can hear you guys behind me!"

"You better watch out!" Dunlap smirked. "Those dogs are headed right for the witch's house!"

"Winn-Dixie! Patch! Get back here!" Amber cried out.

Patch went after Winn-Dixie as they ran ahead of the kids on their bikes. 

"Winn-Dixie, why are we headed to that house?" Patch asked the scruffy dog.

"There's someone here... Someone seems... Lonesome..." Winn-Dixie said. "Like Miss Franny from the library." 

"Ohh." Patch smiled.

"You better get your dogs out of there!" Dunlap continued. 

"Get lost, you Bald Head Babies!" Opal glared at the twin boys.

"Hey, that witch is gonna eat those dogs for dinner and you girls for dessert!" Dunlap smirked. "I wouldn't go in there, Baloney Breath!" 

"Is the person in that house really a witch or is that just a rumor?" Darla asked.

"Trust us," Dunlap smirked. "She's weird, and you're all doomed."

"Hm... I feel like she might not be a real witch, and they're just talking out of their butts." Darla whispered to Amber and Annabelle.

"She can't be worse than Claudia." Annabelle whispered back. 

"Or Cruella." Amber added.

"Let's go inside and find out ourselves." Darla said.

Opal and the girls then went to go on ahead, doing their best to ignore the Dewberry boys who mocked them endlessly.

"We'll tell the preacher what happened to y'all!" Dunlap called out.

"Just ignore them." Amber told the others.

They soon went to go in after the dogs. They felt a bit scared since they might meet an actual witch, but they did their best to keep calm and brave, and soon called out for Winn-Dixie and Patch quietly and carefully.

"Let go! Give it! Give it to me!" A woman's voice was heard struggling.

"That must be the lady that lives here." Amber said.

Patch tried to make Winn-Dixie let go as the woman seemed to struggle from the scruffy dog's behavior. The woman soon fell over which made Opal fall and feel scared because she was told that this woman was an evil witch.

"Oh... Who's there?" The woman cooed as she reached out to touch Opal.

"Please don't eat me. D-D-Don't eat me!" Opal cried out in a panic. "I don't taste good! I don't taste good!"

"Sorry, ma'am, we were just told some rumors that you were a witch." Darla said.

"A witch?" The woman chuckled. "You silly children!"

"Where are the dogs?" Amber asked.

"Did you eat our dogs?!" Opal yelped.

"Hardly, but one of 'em darn near bit my hand off stealin' my sandwich!" The woman replied as she moved her hands around. "Where are they? Where are the dogs?!"

"Winn-Dixie, that's not even yours!" Patch scolded as the scruffy dog ate from the woman's picnic table.

"We are so sorry that Winn-Dixie ate your sandwich, ma'am." Amber apologized.

"Where's the dog?" The woman asked as she used a cane to get around. "I can hear him smackin' his lips! He sure loves peanut butter."

"I'm sorry we got on your property." Opal added to what Amber said.

"We didn't mean to intrude." Darla said.

"It's all right..." The woman replied. "Who are you all?"

The girls soon gave their names.

"My name is Gloria..." The woman replied, though she didn't seem to like her name. "Gloria Dump. Ain't that a terrible last name? Dump..."

"My last name's Buloni; sometimes the kids at school, they call me 'Lunch Meat'." Opal said.

"Lunch Meat..." Gloria repeated. "Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Lunch Meat."

Opal then shook hands with Gloria as they became friends.

"What you call your friend here?" Gloria then asked about the dog.

"Oh, that's Winn-Dixie." Opal replied.

"And next to him is Patch." Darla added.

"Patch... And Winn-Dixie..." Gloria replied, curious about the other dog's name. "You mean like that grocery store? Now, that takes the strange-name prize, don't it?"

"Um, yeah, I suppose." Annabelle smiled bashfully.

"I bet you girls would like some sandwiches." Gloria suggested.

"Yes, ma'am." Darla smiled.

The girls soon sat down with Gloria to have some sandwiches. Winn-Dixie touched Gloria and looked still hungry.

"Oh, no. Hmm-mm. This one's mine. I'm gon' eat this one," Gloria told the dog, setting him on the ground before taking a drink. "You know, baby girls, these eyes of mine, they don't see too good no more."

"You can't see?" Amber asked her.

"Well... You know, I can, I can see only the general shape of things, so I rely on my heart," Gloria explained. "Why don't you go ahead and tell me everything about yourselves, so I can see y'all with my heart?"

The girls knew Opal would go first.

"Well, the first thing you should know about me is that my dad's the preacher, which was why we moved to Naomi." Opal began to explain and told Gloria just about everything like she had shared with Darla in her letters over the past year until summer vacation.

"I see... I see..." Gloria replied as she was truly listening to every word.

"But the most important thing you should know about me is that I don't have a mama." Opal told her.

Annabelle nodded as she could relate to that, though her mother had died while Opal's mother abandoned her and her father.

"You don't have a mama?" Gloria replied.

"Somethin' happened to her that made her go away, and I don't know what it was." Opal explained what she knew.

After talking for some more, the rest of the girls soon told Gloria all about them.

"You had movies, huh?" Gloria asked Darla.

"Yeah... I was pretty popular for a while..." Darla replied.

"I thought your voice sounded familiar," Gloria said. "I believe I had my TV on with you there once... You sing like a little angel."

"Thank you." Darla smiled.

"I'm sorry about your mama." Gloria said to Annabelle.

"It's all right, but thank you..." Annabelle replied. "She told me all about fairies, and even gave me a special book."

"Yeah, and where it is a very special book." Amber smiled.

"That's nice..." Gloria replied. "You girls sound like you have quite the stories. Especially you, Amber, with your aunt raising 101 Dalmatians."

"It's getting smaller recently, but yes." Amber smiled as she hugged Patch as he was one of those Dalmatians.

Eventually, they had to leave Gloria, but it was really nice to talk to her because she was such a good listener, and the girls promised to visit her again very soon, and where Patch decided to stay with Winn-Dixie again as his dog senses told him there would be another thunderstorm. Daniel didn't mind Patch there as long as he wouldn't cause trouble, though he was sure that the Dalmatian was not as he was more behaved than Winn-Dixie was. 

Opal was fast asleep at first, but once she heard the storm outside, she woke up instantly because she knew that Winn-Dixie would have some trouble, and where Patch made sure to keep Winn-Dixie calm. Opal looked relieved and thankful that Patch was such a sweet and helpful dog, and so was Winn-Dixie because he would have just ran all over the place like if he was a bowling ball. Winn-Dixie looked around.

"It's okay, Winn-Dixie... Thunder can't hurt you." Patch soothed. 

"Y-You sure?" Winn-Dixie shivered.

"Trust me, you'll be fine," Patch comforted. "Um... Think of your favorite things." 

"Okay." Winn-Dixie smiled.

Patch gave a small smile back before going to get some sleep with Winn-Dixie as he tried to think of a few of his favorite things. Opal gave a smile herself until she began to think back to her stories with Gloria Dump as she began to think about her missing mom again, and where since she missed her mom again, she decided to go and ask her dad to tell her more about her mom. 

Patch looked over to Opal while Winn-Dixie eventually put himself to sleep. Opal began to come out of bed while looking at the dogs, giving a small smile to their friendship. She soon made her way to her father's bedroom. Daniel appeared to be fast asleep. Opal soon came to her father's side and began to shake him to wake him up.

"Opal, is the storm botherin' you?" Daniel asked once he woke up.

"Daddy... I'm ten-years-old now..." Opal said. "I think that you should tell me ten things about my mama."

Daniel knew that he should have seen this coming. "Why don't you just go back to bed, Opal?" he then sighed a bit.

Patch peeked his head in, curiously.

"Just ten things, that's all!" Opal pried. "One thing for each year I've been alive. I thought it sounded like a reasonable request."

Daniel sighed and sat up before shaking his head softly. "You remind me so much of your mama." 

Patch smiled as he knew that Daniel would tell Opal more about her mother.

"Really?" Opal smiled to her father.

Daniel simply nodded.

"But that doesn't count as the first thing, okay?" Opal then asked.

"Okay... All right..." Daniel said as he let her sit in the bed next to him. "Ten things, and then it's off to bed, okay?" 

Opal nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's see..." Daniel replied. "1. She was funny. She could make just about anybody laugh. 2. She had fair hair, and big eyes."

"Just like me." Opal smiled to that.

"Exactly like you." Daniel smiled back.

"I kinda remember that." Opal nodded. 

Patch smiled as he was happy to hear that.

"Do ya?" Daniel asked his daughter as she nodded to that. "3. She liked to plant things. She had a talent for it. She could stick a tire in the ground and grow a car."

Opal smiled, happy to know that. Patch looked as if he were trying to imagine a woman growing a car out of the ground.

"4. She could run," Daniel continued. "Oh, she was fast. You couldn't ever race her, you know. I mean, if you did, y-you couldn't let her get a head start. Otherwise, she'd beat you for sure."

"What's number five?" Opal asked.

"She couldn't cook," Daniel replied. "Burned everything, even water."

Patch thought that sounded a bit funny and terrible at the same time.

"6. Your mama loved a good story. She could sit and listen to anybody tell a story," Daniel continued. "She especially liked funny ones, mm-hmm. 'Cuz she loved to laugh."

"What's number seven?" Opal asked.

"She knew all the constellations. Every planet in the nighttime sky," Daniel replied. "And she could name 'em, you know? Point 'em out. She never got tired of looking up at 'em."

Patch gave a small smile as that sounded nice.

"Number 8..." Daniel then said before his tone got soft and a little emotional as he soon carried Opal off back to bed. "She hated being a preacher's wife. She said she couldn't stand havin' all those ladies at church judgin' her on how she sang and what she was wearing and what she cooked. She said it made her feel like a bug under a microscope."

Patch felt a little bad that Opal's mother felt that way and wished there was someway he could bring her back because it was obvious that both Opal and Daniel missed her very much even though no one knew where she was.

"What's the ninth thing?" Opal asked as she was getting put to bed.

"Number nine... Is... Your mama loved you," Daniel replied as he tucked her in. "She loved you very much."

"But she left me." Opal frowned.

"She left us." Daniel replied softly. 

"Why'd she leave us?" Opal asked as she gripped her sheets.

"She just... Packed her bags and left us..." Daniel told her. "Just... Yeah... Didn't leave one thing behind."

Patch couldn't understand why Opal's mother would leave them.

"She didn't leave anything?" Opal asked.

"Nope... Nothing." Daniel shook his head with a sad smile.

"What's number 10, Daddy?" Opal frowned.

"I think that's enough for now." Daniel replied.

"But that's only nine things?" Opal reminded him.

Daniel soon kissed her forehead and decided to leave. "It's late."

Patch decided that nine was enough for that night.

"You'll think of number 10 for me, won't you?" Opal asked hopefully.

"Good night, Opal." Daniel sighed as he turned off the light and let his daughter get some sleep as he left the room.

Patch frowned as he had a feeling there wouldn't be a number 10. Opal began to think about what her father taught her as she thought about her mother and what she did. She could see her face, but just a little bit from what she remembered. That night, she decided to write down what was told to her so that way, she would never forget them.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day....

It seemed to be a lazy day as Daniel sat outside with the paper by himself until Winn-Dixie soon came out to keep him some company. Opal gave a small smile as she saw her father smile to Winn-Dixie and soon pet the dog who sat down next to him which was a good sign. 

"Memories from Opal's mother?" Cherry asked Patch once he came to see her.

"Do you think you can do that?" Patch replied.

"Um... I'm not sure actually since we don't know anything about her." Cherry shrugged to Patch.

"Well, then, can you at least find out where she is through the dream realm?" Patch asked.

"Hmm... I'm not sure..." Cherry replied.

Patch soon gave her the puppy dog eyes.

"Hey, hey, no Puppy Dog Eyes, okay?" Cherry tried to make him stop. "I invented that trick!" But she was unsuccessful as Patch included the puppy dog whimper.

"You... Son of a..." Cherry muttered.

Patch kept looking at her.

"Ugh..." Cherry soon groaned in defeat as she flopped back in defeat. "I don't know what exactly I can do, but I'll see what Princess Luna can tell me."

"Thanks." Patch smiled.

"You're evil with that trick, you know that, right?" Cherry glared.

"Yeah, yeah." Patch smirked.

Cherry rolled her eyes. "The things I do for you people..."

Patch simply smiled innocently. Cherry rolled her eyes before she took out her magical dream-catcher and soon knocked herself out so that she could visit the Dream Realm even though everyone was awake.

From there, she would go to find Princess Luna. Princess Luna looked around before looking back to Cherry.

"Mind if I visit the memory bank again?" Cherry asked.

"I suppose that would be all right," Princess Luna replied. "But mind if I ask why you wish to visit there again?"

"Um... It's about that Opal kid's mom." Cherry replied.

"And you wish to know of where she is, correct?" Princess Luna guessed.

"Yeah, that way, maybe just maybe, she could have a change of heart in coming back." Cherry said.

"I'm not sure myself, but it doesn't hurt to try..." Princess Luna replied, putting a hoof to her muzzle. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Cherry was soon in the memory bank and she came to the file cabinet to find Opal's mother's file.

"Now her mother's name should be here." Cherry said.

"Do you know her name?" Princess Luna asked.

"Uh...?" Cherry blinked.

"Try Opal DiCamillo." Princess Luna suggested.

Cherry then looked around and found a folder with that name on it which became a success. Once she opened the folder, she began to see bubbles pop out to show of the woman's memories. The woman appeared to look like Opal, only much older, and had hair and eyes like her daughter.

"Now, just have to find out where she is, and get her to come back to her family which is basically her husband and her daughter Opal and with an addition Winn-Dixie." Cherry said.

Princess Luna hid a small smile.

"What?" Cherry asked.

"You care about that dog being with that family." Princess Luna replied.

"...Shup." Cherry turned away with a mutter.

Princess Luna smiled as she knew she was right. Cherry soon took a look at the bubbles to see Opal's mother until one seemed to be a blue blob which was slowly growing.

"What is that?" Cherry asked the Alicorn princess.

"It's memory that's coming out that is happening right now." Princess Luna informed.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed before touching the growing memory.

The memory grew slowly, but soon popped out to show something that was going on right now, and there appeared to be Opal's mother, crying and looking very upset. Cherry frowned as she could already tell why Opal's mother was crying.

There seemed to be footsteps heard as an older woman was shown. "Dear...? Are you all right...?"

"Oh, Mama..." Opal's mother said to the older woman while sniffling.

"What is it, dear?" The older woman asked, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Oh, Mama, I've made a terrible mistake," Opal's mother told her own mother. "I miss Daniel and India... I shouldn't have left... I should've called you about my problem sooner, and now I have no idea where I can find either of them."

"Seriously?! They're still in the trailer park!" Cherry replied.

"Opal's mother left when she was three," Princess Luna reminded. "They lived somewhere else back then."

"Oh..." Cherry replied as that sounded tragic right now.

"She should be getting some sleep right about now to try and sleep her sadness away." Princess Luna said.

"Should I visit her dream then?" Cherry asked.

"Yes." Princess Luna nodded.

"All right..." Cherry replied.

Opal's mother cried her eyes out and her elderly mother soon left her some tea as she decided to go to sleep and Cherry then took that time to visit her dream, and where she soon saw what Opal's mother was dreaming of. Opal's mother appeared to be coming through a door and she heard a lot of people yelling and mocking her for being a preacher's wife, and she came to her husband who looked angry with her.

"No one wants to see you," Daniel glared to his wife. "You broke my heart. Our daughter doesn't wanna see you neither!"

Cherry knew this nightmare was out of guilt for leaving Daniel and Opal. Opal's mother held her face as this was a terrible nightmare.

Daniel soon walked away without looking back to her. "I loved you... I gave you my heart, and you just stomped on it!"

"Okay, that's it!" Cherry's voice boomed, causing Daniel to vanish along with the rest of the nightmare figures.

Opal's mother looked a bit more scared because Cherry sounded a bit dark and scary, almost like Darth Vader. 

"Don't worry, you don't have to be scared." Cherry told her.

"Who... Who are you...?" Opal's mother asked.

"Let's just say I'm a friend of your daughter's." Cherry replied. 

"Y-You know India?" Opal's mother asked.

"Yeah, only she's known as Opal by her friends." Cherry said.

"I guess it stuck..." Opal's mother replied. "You see, Opal is actually my name, which is why it's India's middle name. I guess Danny thought that she looked so much like me that it slipped out a couple of times."

"That's a good point," Cherry admitted. "Anyway, you need to get back to, uh, Danny and India."

"But... I don't know where they are..." Opal's mother replied. "I've been gone for seven years... I doubt they're even still home."

"Try Naomi, Florida..." Cherry replied.

"I... I might not have the time..." Opal's mother said. "I've moved back in with my mother so she can help me with my drinking problem." 

"Then what about your daughter? Do you want her to go the rest of her life not knowing what it's like to be loved by her own mother?!" Cherry asked firmly.

Opal's mother whimpered, a bit scared and sad.

"Can you imagine how painful it would be to not know about your own parents?" Cherry replied. "A girl Opal's age NEEDS her mother!" 

"I-I... I suppose so, but..." Opal's mother shivered.

"BUT WHAT?" Cherry asked.

"I'm scared." Opal's mother replied. 

"Scared of what?" Cherry asked.

"How can I go back after what I did?" Opal's mother frowned. "No one's going to want to see me anyway... How will I even know where to find Danny and our daughter?"

"As cheesy as this sounds... Nothing is impossible if you follow your heart." Cherry advised before she seemed to make herself gag from saying that. 

"Follow my heart." Opal's mother smiled.

"Look inside your heart... To find the answer..." Cherry advised, trying to sound wise and helpful like Zeus or Princess Celestia. 

Opal's mother soon decided to do just that.

When the blonde woman woke up, she looked around and suddenly felt motivated. She wasn't sure where to go just yet, but she decided that she was going to come back into her daughter and husband's lives once she would recover from her problem which she brought on by herself, and where with her mother's help her problem would be solved soon.

Cherry soon came back into the Dream Realm.

"Did you talk with her?" Princess Luna asked.

"I tried to..." Cherry replied. "I hope I was somewhat helpful. People always come to me for advice."

"I'm sure you were helpful." Princess Luna smiled.

"I really tried," Cherry replied. "...And Patch made me do it."

"I'm sure you really wanted to, regardless of Patch's convincing." Princess Luna coaxed.

"I guess." Cherry shrugged.

"Oh, Cherry, you are always the funny one when it comes to sharing your emotions," Princess Luna said. "You remind me of a younger me."

"So, um, do you think Opal's mother will come back?" Cherry asked.

"I'm sure with your convincing, she'll come back when you least expect it." Princess Luna advised.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Cherry said.

"I'm always right." Princess Luna hid a small smirk.

Cherry rolled her eyes slightly before smirking back as she went back to the waking world.

Meanwhile, with the girls...

"I'm so proud of you for helping Opal with us at the pet shop, Darla." Amber smiled.

"Hey, I have good moments." Darla smirked playfully.

"That's true." Amber smirked back playfully.

"So, we going back then?" Annabelle asked.

"In a bit, yeah," Darla replied. "I'm just thinking about the Sailor Scouts again."

"They probably miss you." Amber said.

"I miss them too..." Darla nodded. "Especially Mina. She was like a big sister to me."

"Mina... That's Sailor V, right?" Annabelle asked.

"Yep, that's her," Darla replied. "Serena was like a big sister too, but Mina and I got along very strongly and we had just met during our first adventure together."

"Oh, that's cute." Annabelle smiled.

"Yeah..." Darla replied. "I'm not sure if you guys could come with me though... That would be interesting."

"I'd like to meet them," Amber smiled to her best friend. "You make them sound so wonderful."

"They sure are." Darla smiled back.

Eventually, they went to the pet store. Annabelle stared at the fish in the tank as they made her think of Cosmo and Wanda which made her grow to miss seeing Timmy Turner as she had feelings about him she had unlike any other boy she had ever met even though he had a crush on the girl known as Trixie Tang.

"Hello, Bunny~" Amber cooed as she picked up a baby bunny with Opal and Otis.

The bunny simply wiggled its nose. Amber giggled and smiled as she nuzzled her nose against the bunny's.

"He shouldn't be away from his mom too long when they're this small." Otis advised.

"Right." Darla said.

Amber soon put the bunny back with its mother. The bunny looked happy to be back with its mother.

Later on, they decided to see Gloria.

"Planting..." Darla smiled. "My brother's girlfriend would love this."

"She sounds lovely already." Gloria smiled back to that.

"She's amazing when it comes to plants." Dalra smiled back.

"What're we planting exactly?" Annabelle asked.

"We're helping the tree." Gloria said.

"What kind of tree?" Opal asked.

"The 'Wait-and-See' Tree." Gloria smiled.

"The 'Wait-and-See' Tree?" Amber asked out of confusion.

"It means you got to wait 'til it grows up before you can see what it is." Gloria smiled.

The girls looked to her as they patted the soil to make it tight enough for the tree to grow.

"That should do it." Darla smiled.

"Thank you for your help, dears." Gloria beamed.

"You're welcome, ma'am." The girls replied as they were more than happy to had done it.

Gloria left briefly.

"Do you think she might really be a witch?" Annabelle asked Darla since they were apart of the Magical Kingdom.

"Well, even if she is, she sure is nice," Darla replied. "I guess she can't be worse than Queen Beryl."

"That's true." Amber said.

"Or Claudia." Annabelle then added.

Some time passed as the girls all hung out and Cherry and Atticus decided to play cards as they had a big adventure this summer.

"So, know when Opal's mother is going to finally come back?" Atticus asked.

"I don't know officially," Cherry replied. "Princess Luna says it'll be a pleasant surprise for everyone."

"Well, maybe she can come the night before we go back home?" Atticus suggested. "That sounds like it'd be a great happy ending."

"What is this, a family movie?" Cherry teased him.

"I'm just saying." Atticus shrugged.

"How long are we staying here anyway?" Cherry asked. "It's hotter than back home here for the summer."

"I'm sure we'll get going soon, just be patient..." Atticus told her.

"I guess..." Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Besides patience is a virtue." Atticus said.

"Like you losing?" Cherry asked as she soon won the card game.

"Dang it, how are you so good at this?" Atticus asked.

"I'm awesome." Cherry replied.

"Yeah, yeah." Atticus rolled his eyes.

Cherry hid a small smirk as she rubbed her fingertips together. 

"One more game." Atticus smirked.

"Poor loser." Cherry replied. 

"One more game." Atticus told her.

"Fine... It's your funeral." Cherry replied as she took the deck of cards and shuffled them. 

"Deal me in." Atticus replied.

Cherry then did as he said as they continued to play while the girls wandered around town with Opal.


	8. Chapter 8

Meanwhile, the girls were soon back at the pet store. It seemed to be a normal day until they saw Otis talking with a ranger.

"Well, well, well," The ranger greeted them. "How long have ya known Mr. Otis here?"

"Not so long, I guess?" Opal replied.

"So I reckon y'all know Gertrude too?" The ranger then asked. 

"Yes? Why is there a problem?" Darla asked.

"Winn-Dixie!" Gertrude squawked.

"Yet somehow you don't know Miss Gertrude?" The ranger asked.

The girls shook their heads to that.

"Nor why she'd leave her shop in the hands of a drifter." The ranger continued.

"Look, I told you that we're cousins." Otis replied.

"You ain't no cousin I know about, there, Smiley." The ranger said to him. 

Darla, Amber, and Annabelle didn't seem to like this ranger and neither did Patch as he went and whispered something to Winn-Dixie. Winn-Dixie looked to him. Patch just nodded once to show that he was sure about this. The ranger soon wanted to talk with the girls outside, alone as this sounded serious. Darla frowned as she knew this ranger would possibly bring up Opal's father.

"Now, y'all don't know so much 'bout that fella in there, do ya?" The ranger asked them.

"We know he can sing near anything." Opal replied.

"Oh, yeah, he can sing, all right, like a bird in a cage," The ranger stated. "He tell you he was locked up in jail for a while?"

Patch began to get the front door open.

"The preacher know you're workin' here?" The ranger asked. "I didn't think so. Ya just better watch out--"

Winn-Dixie then led a goat outside who then went towards the police car and butt his head against it. 

"Sir, I think that goat likes your car." Darla smirked.

"Hey! Hey, Goat, get away from there!" The ranger glared.

A goose soon came out next and bit on the ranger's pant leg as he tried to grab the goat. Opal and the other girls began to giggle at his misfortune. 

"Yeah, that's what you get!" Patch smirked at the ranger.

The ranger's eyes widened and he soon yelled out since Patch was talking. Otis even seemed to laugh from inside the pet shop. The ranger soon got in his car and drove away and yelled out once he saw that the goose was in his car with him which was hilarious to the girls. Later on, they soon went off together after Patch and Winn-Dixie shared a high-paw.

"You're such a goody-goody," Stevie scoffed as he came with his brother. "Shouldn't the preacher's daughter be at home studying the Bible?"

Opal did her best to ignore them as she rode off with Darla, Amber, and Annabelle while the dogs walked on the road. The twins then seemed to block the girls' path.

"Out of the way." Darla said.

"You're so busted," Stevie continued. "That pet shop man is a retarded criminal."

"You don't know anything!" Opal frowned firmly.

"I know Preacher wouldn't like you hanging around with criminals." Stevie smirked.

"Lay off them, Stevie." Dunlap soon said. 

'Did he just tell his brother to lay off us which means to stop it?' Darla thought to herself. 

The others looked surprised that Dunlap stood up for them, but Opal was still annoyed with the twins.

"I don't care what you guys say," Opal glared. "Go pick your lice, you booger-eaters!"

"And just leave us alone." Darla added.

They soon rode off while Opal looked quite annoyed.

"Let's go see Gloria," Amber suggested. "She reminds me of Nanny whenever Aunt Anita and Uncle Roger go out and she stays behind to babysit. She makes me tea and cookies."

"Yeah, let's see Gloria." Annabelle smiled.

They soon went to see the kind, legally blind woman. 

"Baby girl, how 'bout tellin' me a story?" Gloria smiled.

"Once upon a time, I hated the Dewberry boys. The End." Opal crossed her arms.

"Oh, come on, Opal." Amber said.

"Oh, stop that nonsense." Gloria added.

"I do hate 'em! They're ignorant!" Opal replied. "They think you're a witch."

"Oh, they're just trying to get your attention," Gloria chuckled. "I'll bet they like you."

Darla began to think about when she first met Urchin who seemed to tease her during her first time in Atlantica. "I think you're right." she then said.

"Gloria... Do ya know Otis?" Opal soon asked.

"No, I don't know Otis, but I do know what you told me about him." Gloria shook her head.

"You know he's a criminal?" Opal continued. "He's been in jail."

"But I'm sure he's done his time." Darla said.

"Baby girls, come on," Gloria decided once she stood up. "I wanna show y'all somethin'."

"Okay." Amber said.

They soon left the porch and followed the woman to go and see something that she wanted to show them. Eventually, they came up to a rather unique looking tree.

"See this tree?" Gloria asked them.

"Yeah, it kind of looks like a Christmas tree with those bottles hanging on it like decorations." Darla said.

"Why are there bottles on that tree?" Annabelle asked Gloria.

"To keep the ghosts away." Gloria replied.

"Ghosts?" Annabelle asked out of confusion.

"Ghosts of all the things I'd done wrong." Gloria nodded.

"You did that many things wrong?" Opal asked out of surprise.

"Mm... More than that, baby girl." Gloria replied.

"So, then those are beer bottles?" Darla guessed.

"That's right... And Whiskey bottles..." Gloria nodded as they were alcoholic drinks. "I'm the one what drank what was in 'em, and I'm the one what put 'em up there."

"Whoa." Darla said.

"Oh, girls... You know a lot of folks have problems... With liquor and beer," Gloria told them. "Get to start drinkin', and can't get stopped."

Darla could only imagine how hard it was to stop.

"Are you one of these people?" Opal asked.

"Yes, I am," Gloria nodded. "But you know somethin'? These days, I don't drink nuthin' stronger than coffee."

"Did the whiskey and beer and wine... Did they make you do all those bad things that are ghosts now?" Annabelle soon asked.

"Some of 'em," Gloria replied. "Some of 'em I would've done anyway, with or without the liquor and the beer 'til I learned."

"That makes sense." Darla said.

"Um, what exactly did you learn?" Amber asked, curiously.

"'Til I learned what was the most important thing." Gloria replied.

"What's that?" Opal asked.

"Oh... It's different for everyone. Got to learn it on your own," Gloria advised. "But, you know, we should judge Otis by the pretty music that he makes, and how kind he is to all them animals, 'cuz that's all we know about him now... Right?"

"Right." Darla said.

"Yes, ma'am." The other girls added.

"All right then." Gloria smiled as the wind gently blew which made the bottles begin to clang.

Amber smiled because they made her think of her mother's wind-chimes.

"I wish I could do something for Gloria Dump." Opal said to the others.

"Same here." Darla said.

"But what?" Opal wondered.

"Maybe you could read her a story?" Annabelle suggested.

"Hmm..." Opal looked thoughtful about that option.

They soon went to see Miss Franny and the others looked at the various books while Opal would talk to the librarian, Annabelle found a book that looked interesting, though not about fairies, was about a little girl with special powers who was named Matilda Wormwood which she found to be rather interesting. Amber and Darla looked with Annabelle to hear the story about Matilda.

"Miss Franny, I've got this friend named Gloria Dump, and she really loves to read, only her eyes are bad, so she can't read anymore." Opal began to tell the librarian as she worked, but also listened.

"Yeah." Darla nodded while listening to the story of Matilda.

"So I was thinkin' maybe I could read her a story," Opal continued to Miss Franny. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Of course I have suggestions," Miss Franny replied. "Hmm. What about... Gone with the Wind?"

"That sounds interesting." Amber smiled.

"What's that about?" Opal asked.

"Oh, it's a wonderful, exciting story about the Civil War." Miss Franny replied.

"The Civil War?" Opal raised an eyebrow before pausing in thought.

"Now, Opal, don't tell me you have never heard of the Civil War." Miss Franny said to her.

"Isn't that a huge fight?" Annabelle guessed.

"A bit more than that," Amber replied. "It was the war between the North and the South over slavery."

"That's right, girls," Miss Franny nodded to that. "My great-grandfather, Littmus W. Block, fought in that war."

"Really?" Darla asked.

"Oh, yes, it's quite the story." Miss Franny nodded as the older girl from church soon came in.

"I'm ready for another book." The older girl spoke up.

"Well, Amanda, maybe you wouldn't mind waitin'," Miss Franny replied. "I was just telling India Opal, Darlene, Amber, and Annabelle a story about my great-grandfather."

"I sure would like to hear a story about your great-grandfather." Opal smiled hopefully.

"Same here." Amber added.

Miss Franny smiled, happy to hear them say that as they soon went outside to share the story. "Now, Littmus, only a boy of 14 went off to be a hero, but he soon found out the truth." she soon began.

"What truth?" Opal wondered.

"That war is Hell," Miss Franny replied. "Pure Hell."

Darla could already tell that was true because Atticus had been a war once himself.

"Hell is a cuss word!" Amanda complained.

"Well, war is a cuss word, too," Miss Franny replied. "I mean, neither of you can imagine..." she then began to explain. "Littmus was hungry all the time. He was covered with all manner of vermin. Fleas and lice. And he was constantly being shot at. He suffered in a way that no boy should ever have to suffer, and it changed him."

"Oh, my..." Darla frowned.

"He walked back home when the war was over," Miss Franny continued. "I mean, he walked from Virginia all the way to Georgia, but when he got there, his parents, his sisters, everything and everyone was gone."

"Goodness!" Amber frowned.

"But Miss Franny, what about his sisters?" Amanda asked. "What happened to them?"

"Dead," Miss Franny told her. "Dead from typhoid fever."

"And his mama?" Amanda then asked.

"Dead, too." Miss Franny replied.

"And his father?" Amanda asked.

"He died on the battlefield." Miss Franny sighed.

"Poor guy..." Annabelle frowned.

"So, Littmus was an orphan?" Opal asked.

Winn-Dixie and Patch even lowly whined as that sounded so awful.

"Yes. Poor Littmus was all alone in the world," Miss Franny sighed. "Well... When he finished crying, he... Had the s-strangest sensation. He wanted something sweet. He wanted a piece of candy. Yes, ma'am. Littmus W. Block figured that the world was a sorry affair and had enough ugly things in it. And what he was going to do was put something sweet in it."

"So, he decided to invent candy?" Darla guessed.

Patch glanced over from under the porch as he thought he heard other voices.

"Oh, yes, my dear," Miss Franny smiled and nodded before taking out a tin and opening it up to show them. "Would you care for a Littmus lozenge?"

"Sure." Darla said.

The others agreed as they took some candy to try it out.

'I'm sure this will be tasty.' Darla thought to herself.

They soon tried the candy which had a rather unique taste to it.

"Now, they're not made anymore," Miss Franny told them. "The world, it seems, lost its appetite for Littmus lozenges. Fortunately, I had the foresight to save a few. Do you like it?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Opal nodded.

"What about you, Amanda?" Miss Franny asked the older girl.

"Yes, ma'am, but it makes me feel sad." Amanda replied softly.

"There is a secret ingredient in there." Miss Franny told them all.

"Ooh." Amber smiled.

"What is it?" Opal wondered.

"Sorrow," Miss Franny said softly. "Not everybody can taste it."

"We can tell." Annabelle said.

"I taste it." Opal said.

"Me too." Amanda added.

Darla nodded as she could also, but she still liked the candy.

"Well, then... You've probably all had your share of sadness," Miss Franny said to them. "The world has changed so much. People in Naomi, t-they used to know each other's sadnesses. They used to rely on each other. This town just isn't the same without the candy factory."

"Candy factory?" Amber asked out of confusion.

"Where do you think the candy comes from, sweet pea?" Miss Franny replied.

"I didn't know this town had a candy factory." Amber said.

"A lot has changed since before you girls came along." Miss Franny replied.

"But how do you get sadness into a piece of candy?" Opal wondered.

"Yeah, how'd you get that taste in there?" Amanda added.

"That is the mystery. That's how Littmus made his fortune," Miss Franny informed. "By manufacturing a candy that tasted sweet and sad at the same time."

"Whoa." Annabelle said.

Eventually, they began to leave with Winn-Dixie and Patch.

"I had to move away from Watley, and leave all my friends behind. That's one sadness I've known. And my mama," Opal said to Amanda, attempting to socialize with her. "I don't know my mama. I only know a few things about her. And there's something the preacher won't tell me."

"Makes me think of Carson." Amanda replied as her voice seemed to break from sadness as the Dewberry boys soon came over.

"Who's Carson?" Amber asked.

"Hey, guys." Stevie said to the others.

"Bookworms! Where's your apples?" Dunlap huffed.

"I have to go." Amanda said, suddenly running off as she looked like she was going to cry.

"What's with her?" Dunlap scoffed.

"Like we would tell you." Darla said.

"Um... Do you guys know who Carson is?" Opal asked.

"Carson was Amanda's brother." Dunlap replied.

"Was...?" Opal tilted her head.

"He drowned last year," Dunlap explained. "I saw the whole thing."

Amber frowned as that sounded just terrible. 

"Come on, Dunlap." Stevie told his brother.

Dunlap looked over and they soon biked away.

"I guess there's more to this town that we didn't know." Darla said.

"You can say that again." Opal agreed as she had a lot to think about.

"I wonder if Otis would like some candy?" Annabelle commented as she took out a leftover piece.

"Maybe." Amber said.

They soon decided to stop by the pet shop and let Otis try some candy.

"Hmm... Reminds me of being in jail..." Otis said after he took a taste.

Patch had a feeling it would.

"Otis... What were you in jail for?" Opal asked, curiously.

Otis glanced over, but shook his head.

"You don't have to tell us," Opal said as she pet Winn-Dixie. "I was just wonderin'."

"I never hurt anybody," Otis sighed as he played his guitar. "Never meant to, but I've been locked up. And I remember the day very well."

Darla frowned as she knew that day had to be horrible for the man.

"I was sitting in the park, playing a little music, and there were people walking their dogs, and children were laughing," Otis continued to tell his story. "It was a perfect day, so I felt like playing music. I put my... I put my hat out there, but I wasn't really playing for money. I just thought that maybe if someone was enjoying it, they might throw a little change in there. Or not. I just... Well, music is better if somebody's listening. Anyway, this... This policeman came up to me. He said I was disturbing the peace, and then he tried to take my guitar away from me, and I guess I got real angry at him, but I'm not a bad man. I'm just... Not a lucky man~..." he then added while singing to his own little tune.

"So this time, the police started it." Amber said.

"Anyway, they told me that I broke that policeman's nose, and they charged me with assault on a police officer, and no matter what I said, they wouldn't listen," Otis nodded as he continued to tell them his story. "No matter what I said, they wouldn't... They gave me three years."

"Whoa..." Annabelle frowned.

Opal swept the floor, though slowly because she wanted to keep Otis company as he had a very sad song about his past and didn't want him to feel lonely.

Eventually, they saw Sweetie Pie and let her have some candy, but she spit it out. "Yuck. That tastes bad," she then said to them. "It tastes like... Not havin' a dog."

"That's the taste of sadness you were tasting." Amber explained.

"Hm..." Sweetie Pie gave a small pout before sucking on her thumb again.

Patch had a theory before coming up to Sweetie Pie to test his theory. Sweetie Pie looked down to Patch as she sucked on her thumb like a baby. Patch began to nuzzle up to her, feeling her sadness.

Sweetie Pie soon used her free hand to reach out before looking to Darla. "Can I pet your dog?" she then asked.

"He's my brother's dog, but go ahead." Darla replied.

Sweetie Pie then began to pet the Dalmatian once she was given permission which allowed Patch to feel some happiness growing. 

"I like his fur." Sweetie Pie said to Darla.

"He's no Pomeranian, but yeah." Darla smiled.

"I thought that was a fruit?" Sweetie Pie asked. "My mom has perfume that makes her smell like Pomeranian."

"That's Pomegranate," Darla corrected with a small giggle. "A Pomeranian is a small, fluffy dog."

"Ohh." Sweetie Pie smiled.

Opal gave a small smile as it seemed like she and Sweetie Pie were slowly becoming friends as Patch smiled up to the girl which was a good thing. Later that night, Opal was left with more to think about like a lot of other nights since she opened up thanks to Annabelle, Darla, and Amber.


	9. Chapter 9

When the next day came, some kids appeared to be out and having a baseball game.

"They sure are having fun." Amber said.

"What do you think?" Opal asked Winn-Dixie as she took out the candy tin from her bicycle basket. "Should we give some to the boys?"

"I dunno~" Winn-Dixie whined, feeling unsure himself.

Patch seemed to have a different answer as he went over to the boys. The others soon looked over as the Dalmatian strode off on his own.

"Try this one, Dunlap!" Stevie smirked as he pitched to his twin brother.

Dunlap soon hit the ball with his bat and began to run after it was flying in the air. Patch soon felt his dog instincts kick in as he saw the ball flying.

"Patch!" Darla cried out at first.

The boys began to try and catch the ball on the field, but Patch soon jumped up and caught it in his mouth.

"Got it!" Patch muffled.

The boys soon came to Patch and started to chase him, but he ran with the ball in his mouth.

"I bet this is like those times with Air Bud." Darla commented.

"Should we help?" Annabelle asked.

"No, no, he's got this." Darla reassured.

However, a police car seemed to ride by, and the officer came out of it. "What in the name of corn on the cob is goin' on around here?!" he then demanded to know.

"Oh, great. Him." Patch muffled.

"Have we got a situation here, fellas?" The policeman glared.

"No, sir, they're just all playin'!" Opal replied.

The others soon laughed and Winn-Dixie ran towards the policeman, remembering him from the pet shop earlier.

'This should be interesting.' Patch thought to himself.

"Get away from me!" The policeman yelled out as he ran to his car, running into the door as Winn-Dixie chased him. 

Opal winced a bit as that looked like it hurt.

"Get off of me! Off! Get off of me, you hairy, heavy-metal hound dog!" The policeman cried out as Winn-Dixie bit on his pants because he smelled food. "Ow! Give me my pants back! Oh! That's a wedgie! This whole town's gone mad!"

Opal soon got Winn-Dixie off who found a chicken leg, showing the policeman was now in his underwear.

"Well, that's embarrassing." Darla said.

Some of the other kids laughed to it.

"What? You think this is funny?!" The policeman glared, he then looked down with a yelp to see his pants were gone and he rushed back inside of his car. "Don't look at that!"

"He wasn't trying to hurt you," Opal told him. "He just wanted to give you a candy."

"You little sea-monkeys," The policeman glared before he drove away. "But I'm gonna see you in sea-monkey jail. I better put it in drive."

Patch growled as he didn't like the policeman at all. The policeman soon drove away while the kids laughed at him.

Later that night...

Cherry looked out the window, and Opal's mother had still not come to Florida, but when the woman would come would be a big and special surprise for everyone. She knew that this day would come soon. 

"Any sign of her?" Atticus asked.

"No, not yet..." Cherry replied. "I really hope I didn't fail that Opal kid."

"I'm sure you didn't." Atticus said.

"I hope you're right, Fudo." Cherry sighed to her best friend.

"Have I ever been wrong?" Atticus asked.

"Hm..." Cherry paused a moment before taking out a notepad.

"Oh, come on, when have I ever been wrong?" Atticus asked.

Cherry showed him the times he was wrong.

"Uh... Still less than when you were." Atticus replied.

"Not the point." Cherry retorted to make herself sound better.

"Just trust me, she'll be here." Atticus said.

"If you say so." Cherry replied.

"I'm just so proud of a great friend Darla's being to Opal," Atticus smiled about his adoptive little sister. "I should give her something for being such a sweet little angel."

"Maybe you could see if those Sailor Earth girls wanna have an adventure with her?" Cherry suggested.

"Yeah, the Sailor Scouts might have one in mind." Atticus smiled.

"That's my suggestion." Cherry said.

"Thanks, Cherry, you really do care." Atticus smiled.

"I guess so." Cherry shrugged modestly.

Atticus smiled as he was happy to see a caring side to Cherry. The girls stayed over with Opal and Winn-Dixie for the night again.

"This is so much fun." Annabelle smiled.

It seemed like fun for the most part until Opal looked to her father. Daniel looked more miserable than usual and the girls could see a picture of him getting happily married to Opal's mother. Winn-Dixie whined as he lay his head against Opal's lap.

"There has to be something we can do to make him feel better." Amber said.

"I don't think he's sad... He looks... Sick..." Annabelle said to them.

"Sick?" Opal repeated before looking to the candy tin and picked it up to see some pieces missing with empty wrappers. "Winn-Dixie, how many did you eat of these?!"

"A lot..." Winn-Dixie whined before burping.

"Winn-Dixie..." Amber sighed.

"Opal, I hope you don't have that dog in your bed." Daniel's voice warned.

Opal didn't answer as she just tried to comfort the dog while her father wandered through the kitchen.

"How do you care for a sick dog?" Annabelle asked.

Amber soon came outside briefly and came back, giving Winn-Dixie some grass. Winn-Dixie sniffed the grass and began to eat some of it which helped make him feel a little bit better.

"That should help him feel a bit better." Amber said.

"How do you know?" Annabelle asked.

"I know a lot since I help Uncle Roger and Aunt Anita." Amber smiled.

"Hm, that's a good point." Annabelle smiled back.

"Way to go, Amber." Darla smiled to her best friend.

It was hard for Opal to sleep as she wanted to help her father somehow, and where the rest of the girls wanted to help. 

"Daddy?" Opal called.

"Opal... It's 2:00 in the morning, what are you and your friends doing up?" Daniel mumbled.

"Daddy, are you hungry?" Opal asked as she looked to the candy in her hand. "You lookin' for somethin' to eat?"

"Yeah, that's it," Daniel replied. "I'm hungry."

"Then how about having a piece of candy?" Darla asked.

"Candy, huh?" Daniel asked as he was given the piece.

"It's a Littmus lozenge," Opal told her father as he soon began to eat the candy. "Do ya like it?"

"Candy tastes like melancholy." Daniel said once he tried it.

"What's melancholy?" Opal asked.

"Sad." Daniel replied.

"You still miss your wife, don't you?" Darla asked.

"...I do..." Daniel nodded softly. "I often dream 'bout her."

"Daddy... Did she drink...?" Opal asked as she had a hidden feeling from what she learned from Gloria recently.

"Opal, there's some things you're just too young to understand." Daniel sighed to his daughter.

Darla soon noticed her brooch glowing slightly. She put her hand over it as she looked at the father and daughter.

"I-I understand a lot of things," Opal told Daniel. "I know about people with drinkin' problems. Gloria Dump had a drinking problem. I want to understand."

"Yeah, I don't even understand what happened with your mama," Daniel sighed softly. "We were happy, I know that, for a long time. Well, it seemed like a long time, we were happy. But then she started drinkin'."

Darla, Amber, and Annabelle looked slightly confused as to why Opal's mother would start drinking.

"She started drinkin', and that's the tenth thing?" Opal asked her father.

Daniel nodded in silence at first. "But it's more complicated than that."

"Did she drink because I was bad?" Opal soon asked. "Was it my fault that she left?"

"No. No! No!" Daniel said to her. "It's not your fault. Don't... Don't ever say it's your fault. Don't ever say that. Do you hear me?"

"That's right, Opal." Darla said.

"Yes, sir..." Opal said to her father. "Thank you, Darla."

"But of course," Darla smiled as she held her brooch. "Excuse me, I need the bathroom."

The others looked to her as she walked off and Darla took out her brooch as it glowed, hoping this wasn't a dangerous emergency from Serena and the other Sailor Scouts. Darla soon opened it to find out.

The brooch glowed before a hologram of Serena appeared with Luna.

"Hey, guys." Darla smiled.

"Hello, Darla, how are you?" Luna asked. "I apologize for calling so late. It's early in the morning in America, right?"

"Yeah, it is." Darla said.

"Sorry about that, Darla." Luna replied.

"It's all right, I'm on vacation anyway, and I'll be back home soon," Darla replied. "What's up?"

"You must come with us to the Juban Shopping District!" Serena gushed.

"Seriously?! That's what is so important that couldn't wait until after my vacation?" Darla asked.

Serena smiled bashfully to the younger girl.

"I'm sorry, Serena, but I can't go." Darla said.

"What...?" Serena frowned. "Why not?"

"I told you, I'm on vacation, but I'm also helping a friend," Darla replied. "I promise that I'll call you guys when I come back home."

"Oh, fine." Serena pouted.

"Which one of us is the older one again?" Darla replied.

"That's a good question." Luna teased.

"Oh, ha, ha." Serena rolled her eyes.

"I'll visit you guys later, I promise," Darla replied. "And it better be a real emergency this time."

"Trust me, Darla, it will be." Luna promised.

The hologram soon turned off. Darla rolled her eyes slightly that Serena called her just to go shopping, and she soon came back to join Opal and the others.

"You feeling alright?" Opal asked.

"I'm all right," Darla replied. "I think we should go to sleep."

"Yes, I think Darla is right." Daniel agreed as it was the middle of the night.

Opal thought about how life was like a Littmus lozenge, how the sweet and the sad were all mixed up together, and how hard it was to separate them out.

The next day came and the girls came to visit Gloria so that they could read Gone With the Wind to her.

"Gloria's gonna love this book." Amber said.

Gloria sat on her porch with the girls. This was also one of the last days Darla, Amber, and Annabelle would have in Naomi before they would go back home, but it was really an eventful summer for them since they met Opal and Winn-Dixie.

"He was so angry." Opal sighed about her father's behavior last night.

"Well... He was hurtin', that's why." Gloria coaxed. 

"Everybody's hurtin'. Makes me feel sad," Opal frowned. "I want to help 'em, but I just don't know what to do."

Darla began to think of what they could do.

"Well... Don't dwell on it, child," Gloria coaxed. "Why don't we see what Miss Scarlett's doin', hmm? I believe she's gettin' ready for that party."

"That's it..." Darla whispered at first before beaming. "That's it! We should have a party!"

"Yeah!" Opal beamed in agreement before looking to her dog. "Don't you think we should have a party, Winn-Dixie?"

"A party would be fun." Patch smiled at Winn-Dixie.

"Yeah..." Winn-Dixie gave a small smile back as he went inside of Gloria's home.

"We can invite Miss Franny Block, and the preacher and Otis," Opal smiled as she came after Winn-Dixie. "Come on, we need to start plannin'."

"And we'll help." Amber smiled.

Gloria was heard telling the girls to stay out of the room, but it was too late.

"Wow, it's dark in here." Opal commented.

"Hold on, now, hon... Opal?" Gloria called out as she came inside after them. "Girls, wh-where are you?"

"We're not sure ourselves because it's dark in here." Amber said.

Opal soon opened the curtains to make some sunlight come in.

"You cannot have any party here!" Gloria told them. "I haven't had folks in here for years."

"Just make sandwiches," Opal suggested. "And Otis can bring his guitar."

"I said no, and that's the end of it." Gloria replied.

"But Gloria... Why...?" Darla frowned.

"I'm sorry, but my mind is made up." Gloria replied firmly at first.

"Miss Franny said the problem with people here is that they forgot how to share their sadness, but what I think is that people forgot how to share their joy." Opal said to the woman.

"Let it out!" Winn-Dixie barked before licking the blind woman. "You need to have this party!"

Patch nodded in agreement as he knew Winn-Dixie was right.

"Gloria, we need this party. Please?" Opal pouted with Darla, Amber, and Annabelle.

"Oh, Lord. These children..." Gloria sighed before she soon smiled. "Well, if we're gonna have a party, this house needs a big pick up if we gonna have folks over."

"Yes, ma'am." Darla smiled back.

"Whee! We're having a party!" Opal cheered with Darla, Amber, and Annabelle.

"We're gonna have a party, and don't you forget to invite them Dewberry boys." Gloria replied.

"Hmm..." Darla, Amber, and Annabelle hummed in thought about Dunlap and Stevie.

And so, the girls decided to spread the word about the party, and of course, Cherry and Atticus were invited too. Of course, they would also attend the party.


	10. Chapter 10

Invitations were brought all around to have a party before they would go back home after a big summer adventure with Winn-Dixie and Opal. They even came to the Dewberry boys to get it over with, and one of them seemed excited while the other didn't.

"Well, at least one of them is excited about the party." Amber said.

"I think he likes Opal." Annabelle added.

"Ooh~" Darla and Amber smirked playfully to that.

They soon saw Opal blushing, telling them one thing.

"Ooh!" The girls then giggled again.

"Guys!" Opal said to them once they walked off from the Dewberry boys.

'Yep, she totally likes one of the boys.' Darla thought to herself.

"Girls!" Opal pouted as the girls giggled to her.

"I think Dunlap likes you, Opal." Annabelle smiled innocently.

"Y-You really think he likes me?" Opal blushed.

"He doesn't pick on you as much as Stevie, and he even tells his brother to leave you alone sometimes." Annabelle reminded.

"That's true..." Opal replied thoughtfully.

"Plus he seemed excited to be invited to your party." Amber smiled.

"Yeah, I guess..." Opal rubbed her arm bashfully about Dunlap Dewberry as she seemed to like the boy back.

They soon came back to the trailer park to tell Daniel about the party.

"You're gonna come, right?" Opal asked her father hopefully.

"Yeah, I-I'll be there," Daniel replied as he sorted some laundry with a small smile. "Should be done with prayer group by then."

"That's great, sir." Darla smiled.

Patch soon saw an invitation being blown out through the window and he could already tell that was Heaven's work doing its magic. Opal even invited mean old Mr. Alfred.

"That was nice of you, Opal." Darla smiled.

"He shouldn't be left out." Opal smiled back.

Mr. Alfred took the invitation and took a look at it.

"You don't have to thank me. It was Winn-Dixie's idea," Opal told her dog. "Come on, Winn-Dixie."

Mr. Alfred looked to the dog as the dog was silent before following Opal on her bike, and he soon spoke up gently. "Little Miss? He don't howl so much anymore." he then said.

"He's not so lonely anymore." Opal smiled back to him.

"Yeah, he only howls when he's lonely." Amber smiled.

"It's a dog thing." Darla added.

Mr. Alfred gave a small gentle nod as he felt that he had misjudged Winn-Dixie. Patch was happy to know that everything was turning out for the better. The girls then began to get dressed and ready for the party.

Cherry was visiting the Dream Realm before she would meet the others at the party that night, and even saw that Princess Luna was smiling. 

"Hey, Luna, I just wanted to check in on Opal's mother?" Cherry said.

"She's coming tonight, trust me." Princess Luna replied as she showed a bubble of Opal's mother driving on her way to Naomi, Florida, though she had a long drive ahead of her, but it was better than no drive at all.

They soon saw the invitation that had been blown by the wind, and where Opal's mother caught it once she saw it.

"Oh, so that's what Spot saw earlier." Cherry said to Princess Luna.

"Indeed." Princess Luna nodded her head.

Opal's mother soon opened the invitation and knew exactly where to go. It would still take a while for her to get to the party, but it would all be worth it in the end.

That night, the girls were all dressed up, and it was time for the party.

"Mr. Alfred, you're one of the first people here." Opal smiled to the man.

"Well, there's no sense in dilly-dallying, you know?" Mr. Alfred replied.

"That's true." Atticus said as he arrived next.

"Oh, Atticus, you look so handsome..." Darla smiled as she wore a cute sparkling purple dress with a matching hair bow. "Are you okay in those sleeves?"

"This is a suit Drell loaned me," Atticus replied. "He usually wore it to meetings in his office, so he let me borrow it for special occasions like parties and, as of this visit, church."

"Cool." Darla smiled.

"Plus it looks dumb on him." Atticus whispered to her.

"I HEARD THAT!" Drell's voice snapped from nowhere which only he, Darla, Patch, and Cherry could hear.

"You guys, don't ruin a perfectly good vacation!" Cherry begged as she soon walked over in a black dress with white spots on it with matching slide-on shoes as she looked cute when she was dressed up.

"Alright, alright." Atticus said.

Patch was seen looking outside, seeming to wait for someone to arrive. Opal soon introduced Mr. Alfred and Miss Franny and they seemed to become fast friends.

"I brung dog pictures for the theme of the party." Sweetie Pie said to her and the others.

"That's great." Darla smiled.

"Let me show you." Sweetie Pie told them as she led them down the path.

"Come on, Winn-Dixie." Opal called.

"Patch, here, boy!" Darla added. 

"Coming!" Patch replied.

They soon found what looked like a gallery for Winn-Dixie as he made a lot of great things happen this summer for Opal.

"Oh, Sweetie Pie, that's beautiful." Amber smiled.

"Thank you." Sweetie Pie smiled back. 

Patch smiled as this really was beautiful.

"Hey, guys." Amanda smiled.

"Hey, Amanda!" Opal and the girls smiled back.

They soon walked together through the Dump garden before going to see the woman.

"I'm so glad you could come." Opal said to Amanda.

"Thank you for inviting me." Amanda replied.

"Oh, thanks for comin'." Opal smiled. 

Darla, Amber, and Annabelle just knew that Opal wouldn't lonely anymore when they would leave.

"Gloria, where are you?" Cherry called out.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," Gloria's voice replied from inside. "I'm comin', baby girl. Don't rush me. Please don't rush me. I'm so nervous."

Cherry gave a small smile to Atticus about Gloria.

"What're you smiling at?" Atticus asked, giving a small smile as he hadn't seen a smile like this from her in a very long time.

"She's like Aunt Dorothy." Cherry smiled softly. 

Atticus smiled back as he was happy that Cherry was smiling.

"I haven't done this in such a long time." Gloria said as she came out in a colorful dress.

"It's okay," Opal smiled as she helped the nearly blind woman. "You look beautiful."

"Well, thank you for my hair and my fingernails," Gloria smiled back. "And you look pretty, too. You wearin' that necklace I gave you?"

"Mm-hmm." Opal nodded.

"Oh, everything is so beautiful, Opal," Gloria replied. "I can see it. I can just see it." 

Darla's brooch soon glowed again, and where this time, it wasn't a message from Serena as it was doing something to Gloria's eyes.

"Hi, Gloria." Amanda waved.

"Oh, Gloria, I'd like you to meet my new friend, Amanda." Opal introduced.

"Amanda. What a beautiful name," Gloria smiled to the older girl as her vision seemed to change. "I'm glad you came, and what a beautiful young lady you look like."

"Wait, Gloria, you said look like not sound like." Amber smiled.

Gloria soon realized Amber was right as Darla's brooch stopped glowing as it was able to give back Gloria's sight fully. "Hmm... I feel like I can see like how I used to when I was y'all's age..." The older woman smiled. 

Annabelle soon magically made a flower appear in her hands without anyone seeing before she showed it to Gloria to see if her eye sight was like she use to when she was her and the girls age.

"Ooh... What's this?" Gloria smiled. "Is that flower for me, Annabelle?" 

"Yeah," Annabelle nodded. "And looks like your eye sight is just like how it was when you were our age."

"I believe you're right..." Gloria smiled. "Oh, girls, this is the best night of my life."

The girls smiled back as they were able to help make that possible.

"And this is Miss Franny Block." Opal introduced the librarian to the other woman.

"Hello, Gloria. I've heard all about you," Miss Franny smiled as they shook hands. "I hope you're enjoying Gone with the Wind."

"Oh... Thank you." Gloria smiled back. 

'They're becoming fast friends.' Darla thought to herself with a smile.

"And that's Mr. Alfred." Opal then introduced.

"Miss Gloria, I'm delighted to meet you." Mr. Alfred replied.

They soon heard squawking as another guest was coming over. 

"Otis, you and Gertrude came." Darla smiled.

"I brought pickles." Otis replied.

"Oh! That's just exactly what we needed," Opal smiled to him. "They'll go perfectly with the egg salad sandwiches."

Gertrude soon flew off, looking very happy.

"Miss Franny, this is Otis." Opal introduced.

Otis was about to shake her hand, but almost dropped his pickle jar by accident. Luckily, Atticus helped with the pickle jar so then Otis could shake Miss Franny's hand.

"Heh, thanks, kid." Otis replied.

"No problem." Atticus smiled.

"It's a pleasure to shake your hand, Otis." Miss Franny said to the man.

"Thank you. I brought pickles." Otis replied.

"Yes, I see. It's nice." Miss Franny nodded. 

Atticus soon put the pickle jar next to the sandwiches.

"Too bad my dad's not here, am I right?" Cherry replied.

"He'd probably eat them all." Atticus laughed to his best friend.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that." Cherry shrugged.

"Oh, and this is Gloria Dump." Opal introduced. 

"I brought pickles for the party." Otis told Gloria.

"I'm glad you did," Gloria smiled. "I mean, wouldn't have been no party without pickles."

"That's right." Amber said.

"Now, I've been to several parties with no pickles," Mr. Alfred commented. "A-And not one of 'em was any fun."

Annabelle giggled as that was kind of a funny thing to say.

"Baby girl, what happened with the Dewberry boys?" Gloria asked Opal. "And where's the preacher?"

"Uh, I don't know," Opal shrugged. "Well, I told 'em what time we're startin'."

"They're probably running a little late." Amber said.

Winn-Dixie and Gertrude began to eat together.

"Look at that dog and look at that bird!" Sweetie Pie squealed with a giggle.

Some of the others laughed as it was kind of funny.

"Oh, no! Winn-Dixie! No, Winn-Dixie!" Opal told her dog who smiled innocently to her and the others. "Get down! Get down! Winn-Dixie, come on."

"Come on, Winn-Dixie, down." Patch chuckled slightly.

"Well, if we don't eat soon, there won't be any food left." Miss Franny told the other guests.

"I think you're right," Gloria replied. "Let's just hold hands and give thanks for this. Opal, give me your hand. Girls, y'all join hands with her." 

Even though she wasn't religious, Cherry was a guest in this home, so she joined in the prayer to be respectful.

'Where are those three?' Atticus thought to himself.

"Winn-Dixie, sit." Opal told her dog.

"You too, Patch." Darla added to her brother's dog.

The two dogs then sat beside them.

"Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, we have egg salad sandwiches, we got Dump's punch, we got pickles, we got doggy pictures, and we have Littmus lozenges, but, more importantly, Dear Lord, we have good friends," Gloria began. "Dear Lord, we got good friends to share this warm summer night with us, and, for that, we're grateful. Teach us, dear Lord, to love one another. This we ask in Your name. Amen."

"Amen." Everyone else replied.

"Are we fixin' to eat now?" Sweetie Pie asked.

"I think we might want to eat inside." Otis suggested. 

Patch began to sniff the air and could tell why Otis suggested that. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

"Uh-oh." Cherry muttered as she feared the worst for Winn-Dixie.

Everyone began to panic as it started to rain on their party. 

"Quick, everyone inside!" Atticus told the crowd.

Everyone soon rushed inside to be safe and dry as it rained outside.

"Oh, the sandwiches are all wet." Gloria frowned. 

"Well, maybe we can still have some fun." Darla said.

"Yeah, Cherry always has fun on rainy days." Amber added.

"Opal, can I talk to you, please?" Otis asked.

"Oh, sure." Opal replied. 

Patch became curious of what Otis wanted to talk to Opal about.

"Opal, you worked real hard. I... I brought this for you," Otis told the girl once they were alone and he brought out a red collar. "I figured you'd earned it."

"Oh! Thanks, Otis." Opal beamed.

"Dog! Dog! Dog!" Gertrude squawked from Otis's shoulder. 

Once Patch heard Gertrude squawking that word, he began to sniff around for Winn-Dixie, hoping he ran inside when the storm hit.

"Sorry your last night in Naomi's a little spoiled." Amanda frowned to Darla, Amber, and Annabelle as they were going home tomorrow.

"It's alright, none of us could have known a storm would come." Darla said.

"Don't worry. I got them dog pictures," Sweetie Pie smiled. "I got 'em right here."

"Um, thank you, Sweetie Pie." Darla smiled back politely.

"Yeah, thanks." Amber added.

Patch soon came outside as Winn-Dixie made it in the house, fearing the worst as the other dog was scared to death of thunder. 'This may be a bit of a challenge.' Patch thought to himself.

"Winn-Dixie! Winn-Dixie!" Opal cried out as she rushed out in the rain after Patch.

The adults started to worry about her just as the Dewberry boys came to the party out of the rain.

"Opal, your guests are here!" Gloria told the young girl.

"I don't care!" Opal replied as she needed to find Winn-Dixie. 

"Now, you come up here right this minute!" Gloria scolded as she didn't want Opal to get sick for running out in the rain. "Come right up here!"

Patch was soon seen coming back, and where he got Opal back in.

"Now, let me tell you somethin'!" Gloria scolded Opal for running out like that. "This is your party, and I want you to tell these boys how glad you are that they came."

"Thank you for comin' to my party," Opal told the boys. "It's just I got to find Winn-Dixie."

"Do you want me to help?" Dunlap offered.

Patch smiled as he nudged Opal slightly so she could give him her answer. Opal didn't say anything just then.

"Listen... Opal... You cannot hold onto anything that wants to go," Gloria said to the girl. "Do you understand what I'm sayin'? You just got to love it while you got it, and that's that."

"I just got to find him!" Opal replied before she went to go back out into the rain.

"Opal, wait 'til the rain stops!" Gloria called out, but it seemed to be useless. "Opal! Opal!"

"What is with that girl?" Cherry asked.

"She's determined to find her dog, Cherry," Atticus said. "You know I'd risk anything if Patch was in trouble."

"Well, yeah, but I thought that was because you were you." Cherry shrugged.

"We better go out and help her find Winn-Dixie." Darla said.

"That might be a good idea." Atticus replied.

"Well, I don't know if we'll find him, but I guess we can try," Cherry replied. "You girls better get some coats on though. I don't want you to get sick."

The girls soon got their coats on as they would be ready to help find Winn-Dixie.

"Thanks for understanding, Cherry." Atticus smiled.

"I guess, just make sure Opal gets that dog back," Cherry said, not sounding like she cared, but Atticus knew she did deep down. "He seems important to her."


	11. Chapter 11

They soon went out to help looking for Winn-Dixie. Dunlap and Stevie watched as they soon left as Opal came to her home to look for Winn-Dixie.

"Is he here?!" Opal asked her father as she came to the door.

"Who?" Daniel asked her.

"Winn-Dixie! He's gone!" Opal told her father. "He ran away because of the storm, and I can't find him!"

Patch began to sniff around for Winn-Dixie.

"Come on in out of the rain, Opal." Daniel told his daughter.

"We were at the party, and you were supposed to be there!" Opal cried to him out of heartbreak. "And you weren't, and now he's gone!"

"What kept you from coming to your own daughter's party?" Atticus asked the Preacher.

"I got caught up in something." Daniel frowned apologetically.

"Was it job related?" Cherry asked.

"Yes... Come on, let's get Opal." Daniel replied.

Cherry looked to him as they soon went to get a hold of Opal and/or Winn-Dixie.

"This is getting hopeless!" Darla frowned.

"How about you use the Silver Crystal to help?" Amber suggested.

"Hmm... I don't know what it'll do, but I guess I'll give it a shot." Darla shrugged. She soon brought out her brooch, hoping it could help.

Lightning flashed as thunder boomed. They all began to look for Winn-Dixie and Darla used her brooch to help.

"What kind of jewel is that?" Opal asked Darla.

"It's a magical brooch," Darla sighed, revealing a secret. "It's from Sailor Moon."

"Really?" Opal asked.

"Yep." Darla nodded.

"I've heard about Sailor Moon..." Opal said. "Are you saying you know her?"

"Opal, there's a lot you don't know about me or my friends and family," Darla replied. "We have plenty of crazy adventures revolving around friendship."

"It's true." Amber smiled.

"So, that can help us find Winn-Dixie?" Opal asked.

"Probably." Darla replied with a small nod.

They soon continued to wander around as it nearly took all night to find Winn-Dixie.

Patch kept on sniffing around for Winn-Dixie. "I know he can't be too far away." The young Dalmatian told himself. He soon saw someone in the rain, and where he could see the person who had Winn-Dixie. He soon rushed over.

"Oh, you poor thing... You must be so lost... I'm lost too..." The person told the scruffy dog.

"Oh, thank Gabriel." Patch sighed in relief once he saw that Winn-Dixie wasn't hurt. He soon saw who the person was and saw that the person looked just like Opal.

"It's all right, doggy... I'll get you back home." The woman soothed.

"No way..." Patch whispered to himself.

Eventually, it stopped raining as it seemed like Opal and Daniel were about to give up on looking for the dog, so they went back to Gloria's, and no one else had found Winn-Dixie which proved to be heartbreaking for Opal. Or so they thought. They soon heard Patch's barking.

"I hear a dog." Sweetie Pie said.

"It's probably Patch." Atticus replied.

Cherry soon got the door to see the Dalmatian. "Ah, there you are, Spot," she said. "I'm glad you're alright." 

"Thanks, Cherry, but I brought someone with me." Patch smiled to her. He soon showed the person that he brought with him who had brought with a certain scruffy dog.

Everyone was excited to see Winn-Dixie and felt thrilled. The woman soon put her hood down as she came to the party.

Opal took a glance at her before looking around and did a double take like her heart told her exactly who this woman is as she ran up to her. "Mama!" 

Daniel heard his daughter say that word and took a look at who he had not seen in years. The woman soon hugged Opal before coming up to Daniel and hugged him as well. Everyone looked surprised and delighted for not only Winn-Dixie back, but Opal's mother was also finally back home.

"She finally arrived." Cherry said.

"Oh, Cherry..." Atticus smiled as he had happy tears in his eyes. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It sure is, Atticus..." Cherry replied in her own joy for Opal. "It sure is." 

It was soon time for the group to leave.

"Have a safe trip back home." Opal said.

"Thank you, Opal," Darla smiled to her pen pal. "This was a great summer, and it was all because of Winn-Dixie." 

"It sure was." Opal smiled back.

"I'm glad your mama's back too." Darla said.

"Yeah, I never thought that would happen," Opal smiled. "This was probably the best summer of my life. I'm gonna miss y'all very much."

"We'll miss you too," Darla smiled back before hugging the girl. "Hopefully we can have another adventure real soon."

Opal nodded as she hugged Darla back.

"Come on, Dimples!" Cherry called out. 

"Coming!" Darla called back.

"Goodbye, Darla, have a safe trip back home." Opal smiled.

"Thanks, see you later." Darla smiled back before going off with the others to go back home, and they all made it back home, safe and sound.


	12. Chapter 12

"So, Darla, I guess you're gonna visit Serena then?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah," Darla replied as she saw emails from Serena and the other Sailor Scouts. "Oh, and there seems to be an award ceremony going on down in Japan later on."

"Award Ceremony, huh?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah, it's called the iWeb Awards." Darla smiled.

"Sounds impressive." Atticus said.

"Do you think I could go?" Darla asked.

"You better get to Serena and Luna before their heads explode." Atticus chuckled.

"Right." Darla chuckled back.

"I'll take care of your luggage so Mom doesn't throw a fit." Atticus said.

"Aw, thanks, Atticus." Darla smiled.

"What're big brothers for?" Atticus smiled back as he walked off.

Darla smiled back as she felt lucky to have Atticus for a brother. Atticus soon went to put Darla's stuff away for her so Emily wouldn't scold her. Darla soon sent an email to Serena and the others that she was home now, and if they wanted to see her, they could have her over whenever they were ready.

'Now just have to wait.' Darla thought to herself.

Atticus put Darla's stuff away and decided to make a gift.

"What's the present for?" Patch asked. "Is it Cherry's birthday?"

"No, this is for her being a good friend this summer." Atticus smiled.

"Aw." Patch smiled.

"Sandwiches with her favorite turkey..." Atticus listed the foods. "Mozzarella sticks with cheesy cheese. Some bottles of creme soda... And just to be safe, some chicken wings."

"Sounds amazing..." Patch almost drooled.

Darla then saw an answer from Serena's email and suggested she come over right now which summoned her right away to another adventure instantly without another answer back, and soon, Darla was sent straight for Japan to start a brand new adventure with the Sailor Scouts.

The End


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